Gavini Pediatrics - Heart Murmur in Children

Gavini Pediatric & ADHD Clinics 26850 Providence Parkway, Suite 300, Novi, MI 48374 :: 248.348.4200 www.ADHDclinic.com :: www.YourKidsDoctor.com
Heart Murmur in Children What is a heart murmur? A heart murmur is the noise that blood makes when it flows through the heart, and can be heard louder when the blood flows faster through the heart. As higher body temperature can cause the blood to flow faster, often times, doctors will hear heart murmurs in children who have fevers. However as children grow older, normal heart murmurs become harder to hear, and some simply go away with time.
Causes There are two types of heart murmurs, innocent (also known as normal and functional) and abnormal. Innocent heart murmurs are completely normal, and are common in children with healthy normal hearts. A heart valve not opening all the way The heart having a hole in it A heart valve having have a leak Rheumatic fever, which is a serious condition caused by not having received prompt treatment or complete treatment from a strep throat infection. This can permanently affect the heart valves, interfering with the normal blood flow through the heart. Mitral valve prolapse in which the valve between the left upper and left lower chambers don't close correctly. Endocarditis is an infection and inflammation of the inner lining of the heart valves. This is typically caused by bacteria that came through the bloodstream from another part of the body to the heart. If it is left untreated, endocarditis can destroy or damage the heart valves.
Tests and Diagnosis Your doctor will consider the following to check to see if your child's heart murmur is normal: What affects the sound: changes in position or activity. Where is it in the heart: also, can it be heard in the back or neck? When does it occur and for how long? How loud it is, which is rated on a scale from 1-6 with 6 being the loudest. What pitch is it? If your child’s doctor thinks that they have an abnormal heart murmur, then some additional tests may be needed to discern the cause. Transthoracic Echocardiogram Chest X-Ray Electrocardiogram (ECG) Cardiac computerized tomography(CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI) Cardiac Catheterization
Treatment There are a number of ways to treat a heart murmur, (medications, surgeries) and it all depends on what is causing the murmur to begin with.

Gavini Pediatric & ADHD Clinics

26850 Providence Parkway, Suite 300, Novi, MI 48374 :: 248.348.4200

www.ADHDclinic.com :: www.YourKidsDoctor.com

Heart Murmur in Children

What is a heart murmur?

A heart murmur is the noise that blood makes when it flows through the heart, and can be heard louder when the blood flows faster through the heart. As higher body temperature can cause the blood to flow faster, often times, doctors will hear heart murmurs in children who have fevers. However as children grow older, normal heart murmurs become harder to hear, and some simply go away with time.

Causes

There are two types of heart murmurs, innocent (also known as normal and functional) and abnormal. Innocent heart murmurs are completely normal, and are common in children with healthy normal hearts.

A heart valve not opening all the way
The heart having a hole in it
A heart valve having have a leak
Rheumatic fever, which is a serious condition caused by not having received prompt treatment or complete treatment from a strep throat infection. This can permanently affect the heart valves, interfering with the normal blood flow through the heart.
Mitral valve prolapse in which the valve between the left upper and left lower chambers don't close correctly.
Endocarditis is an infection and inflammation of the inner lining of the heart valves. This is typically caused by bacteria that came through the bloodstream from another part of the body to the heart. If it is left untreated, endocarditis can destroy or damage the heart valves.

Tests and Diagnosis

Your doctor will consider the following to check to see if your child's heart murmur is normal:

What affects the sound: changes in position or activity.
Where is it in the heart: also, can it be heard in the back or neck?
When does it occur and for how long?
How loud it is, which is rated on a scale from 1-6 with 6 being the loudest.
What pitch is it?

If your child’s doctor thinks that they have an abnormal heart murmur, then some additional tests may be needed to discern the cause.

Transthoracic Echocardiogram
Chest X-Ray
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
Cardiac computerized tomography(CT) or Magnetic Resonance Imaging(MRI)
Cardiac Catheterization

Treatment

There are a number of ways to treat a heart murmur, (medications, surgeries) and it all depends on what is causing the murmur to begin with.