What Is A Dangerous Heart Rate For A Child

History From The Parent Or Guardian

History should include asking:

• How long has the fever been present?
• Has the parent/carer been measuring temperature and, if so, by what method?
• Is there a rash? If so, is it blanching or non-blanching?
• Are there any respiratory symptoms – eg, cough, runny nose, wheeze?
• Has the child been clutching at their ears?
• Has there been excessive or abnormal crying?
• Are there any new lumps or swellings?
• Are there any limb or joint problems?
• Is there any history of vomiting or diarrhoea? Is the vomiting bile-stained or is there any blood in the stool?
• Has there been any recent travel abroad?
• Has there been any contact with other people who have infective diseases?
• Is the child feeding normally ?
• What is the urine output? Have nappies been dry?
• How is the child handling? Normal self/drowsy/clingy and so forth?
• Have there been any convulsions or rigors?
• Is there any significant past medical history/regular medication/allergy?
• Is there a history of recent foreign travel, putting the child at increased risk of imported infection?

Other points to consider from the history:

• Level of parental anxiety and instinct .
• Social and family circumstances.
• Other illnesses affecting the child or other family members. Has there been a previous serious illness or death due to febrile illness in the family?
• Has the child been seen before in the same illness episode?

What Could Be Causing It

Ask yourself some questions:

Does your child have other symptoms?

A cough that comes with a runny nose and sneezing may point to a cold.

Those symptoms, body aches, and a fever often come with the flu.

When did the cough start?

Allergies are more likely in the spring and fall.

What does it sound like?Allergies, viral infections, and the croup can bring on a barking cough.

Whooping cough brings on a noise that sounds like “hoop!” Call your doctor if you hear that sound.

A wheezing sound could mean something is blocking your childâs airway. It could be brought on by pneumonia or asthma. Call the doctor.

What if the cough wonât go away?

Visit the doctor. Most last no more than a few weeks, but some people have ones that stick around long after other symptoms are gone. In a child, a cough is considered chronic if it lasts more than 4 weeks. For adults, itâs 8 weeks or more.

Why Might I Need Fetal Heart Monitoring

Fetal heart rate monitoring is especially helpful if you have a high-riskpregnancy. Your pregnancy is high risk if you have diabetes or high bloodpressure. It is also high risk if your baby is not developing or growing asit should.

Fetal heart rate monitoring may be used to check how preterm labormedicines are affecting your baby. These are medicines are used to helpkeep labor from starting too early.

Fetal heart rate monitoring may be used in other tests, including:

• Nonstress test. This measures the fetal heart rate as your baby moves.
• Contraction stress test. This measures fetal heart rate along with uterine contractions. Contractions are started with medicine or other methods.
• A biophysical profile. This test combines a nonstress test with ultrasound.

Things that may affect the fetal heart rate during labor:

• Uterine contractions
• Pushing during the second stage of labor

Your healthcare provider may have other reasons to use fetal heart ratemonitoring.

Recommended Reading: Vitamin D3 And Heart Palpitations

How Do I Get Ready For Fetal Heart Monitoring

• Your healthcare provider will explain the procedure to you. Ask him or her any questions you have about the procedure.
• You may be asked to sign a consent form that gives permission to do the procedure. Read the form carefully and ask questions if anything is not clear.
• The consent form for fetal heart monitoring may be included as part of the general consent for labor and birth.
• Tell your healthcare provider if you are sensitive to or are allergic to any medicines, latex, tape, or anesthesia.
• If fetal heart rate monitoring is done along with another monitoring test, you may be asked to eat a meal before the test. This can help make your baby more active.
• The amniotic sac must be broken and your cervix must be dilated several centimeters before the internal device can be put in place.
• Follow any other instructions your provider gives you to get ready.

Diagnosing Irregular Heartbeat In Children

Doctors use several tools to diagnose arrhythmias. Its very important to know a childs medical history and give this information to the doctor. The doctor will use the medical history and a physical exam to begin the evaluation.

Your doctor may order an electrocardiogram , a test that measures the hearts electrical activity. For this painless test, the child will lie down and have electrodes attached to the skin with sticky papers. The electrodes have wires attached to them, which connect to the EKG machine. The EKG records electrical signals from the heart.

These types of EKG tests might be recommended:

• Resting EKG: This EKG measures resting heart rate and rhythm, and lasts about one minute.
• Exercise EKG : This measures heart rate and rhythm during exercising, such as riding a stationary bicycle or walking on a treadmill.
• Signal-average EKG: This is much like a resting EKG, but monitors the heartbeat for about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Holter monitor: This is a continuous EKG lasting 24 hours or more. The child wears the Holter monitor and continues normal daily activities.

Read Also: Can Flonase Cause Heart Palpitations

Symptoms Of Febrile Convulsion

The symptoms of febrile convulsion include:

• Loss of consciousness . The child will fall if standing and may pass urine
• Twitching or jerking of arms and legs
• Breathing difficulty
• Going pale or bluish in skin colour
• Eye rolling, so only the whites of their eyes are visible
• Your child may take 15 minutes to wake up properly afterwards. They may be irritable and appear not to recognise you.

When Heart Rate Or Rhythm Changes Are Minor

Many changes in heart rate or rhythm are minor and do not require medical treatment if you do not have other symptoms or a history of heart disease. Smoking, drinking alcohol or caffeine, or taking other stimulants such as diet pills or cough and cold medicines may cause your heart to beat faster or skip a beat. Your heart rate or rhythm can change when you are under stress or having pain. Your heart may beat faster when you have an illness or a fever. Hard physical exercise usually increases your heart rate, which can sometimes cause changes in your heart rhythm.

Natural health products, such as goldenseal, oleander, motherwort, or ephedra , may cause irregular heartbeats.

It is not uncommon for pregnant women to have minor heart rate or rhythm changes. These changes usually are not a cause for concern for women who do not have a history of heart disease.

Well-trained athletes usually have slow heart rates with occasional pauses in the normal rhythm. Evaluation is usually not needed unless other symptoms are present, such as light-headedness or fainting , or there is a family history of heart problems.

Recommended Reading: How Accurate Is Fitbit Charge 2 Heart Rate

What’s A Normal Heart Rate

Heart rate is measured by counting the number of beats per minute. Someone’s normal heart rate depends on things like the person’s age and whether he or she leads an active lifestyle.

The resting heart rate decreases as kids get older. Typical normal resting heart rate ranges are:

• babies : 100150 beats per minute
• kids 13 years old: 70110 beats per minute
• kids by age 12: 5585 beats per minute

A doctor can determine whether a heart rate is abnormally fast or slow, depending on a person’s situation. An older child or adult with a slow heart rate, for example, might have symptoms when the heart rate drops below 50 beats per minute. But trained athletes have a lower resting heart rate, so a slow heart rate in them isn’t considered abnormal if it causes no symptoms.

How Is An Arrhythmia Diagnosed

Doctors use several tools to diagnose arrhythmias. It’s very important to know a child’s medical history and give this information to the doctor. The doctor will use the medical history, along with a physical exam, to begin the evaluation.

If an arrhythmia is suspected, the doctor will order an electrocardiogram to measure the heart’s electrical activity. For this painless test, the child will lie down and have small metal tabs fixed to the skin with sticky papers. The electrodes have wires attached to them, which connect to the EKG machine. The electrical signals from the heart are then briefly recorded, usually for just 10 seconds. This information is sent to a computer, where it’s interpreted and drawn as a graph.

These types of EKG tests might be recommended:

Recommended Reading: How Accurate Is Fitbit Charge 2 Heart Rate

Normal Heart Rate In Human

In basic, the adult resting heart beats in between 60 and 100 times per minute. When an individual has tachycardia, the upper and/or lower chambers of the heart beat considerably quicker.

Our heart rates are managed by electrical signals that are sent throughout the tissues of the heart. When the heart produces rapid electrical signals, tachycardia occurs.

When the heart beats too rapidly, it pumps less effectively and blood circulation to the remainder of the body, including the heart itself, is decreased.

Since the heart is beating quicker, the muscles of the heart require more oxygen if this continues, oxygen-starved myocardial cells can pass away off, causing a cardiovascular disease .

Some patients with tachycardia might have no symptoms or complications. Nevertheless, tachycardia considerably increases the risk of stroke, abrupt cardiac arrest, and death.

What Causes An Arrhythmia

A unique electrical conduction system in the heart causes it to beat in its regular rhythm.

The electrical signals start from a group of cells called the sinus node, located in the right atrium. The sinus node acts as the heart’s pacemaker and makes sure the heart is beating at a normal and consistent rate. The sinus node normally speeds up the heart rate in response to things like exercise, emotions, and stress, and slows the heart rate during sleep.

But sometimes the electrical signals don’t “communicate” properly with the heart muscle, and the heart can start beating in an abnormal rhythm this is an arrhythmia .

Arrhythmias also can be due to chemical imbalances in the blood infections diseases that irritate the heart medicines injuries to the heart from chest trauma or heart surgery use of illegal drugs, alcohol, or tobacco caffeine and stress.

Arrhythmias can be temporary or permanent. An arrhythmia can be congenital or happen later.

Recommended Reading: Which Of The Following Signs Is Commonly Observed In Patients With Right-sided Heart Failure

Exercise Heart Rate In Children

December 10, 2010 by ds_65371

When a child gets moving, her heart gets pumping. This temporary heart rate increase is a desirable result of physical exertion, as it strengthens the heart muscle and makes your kid more fit. When your child is next engaged in rambunctious play, take a second to check his exercise heart rate. By doing so, you can ensure that your child is getting the maximum health benefit from his exercise and that everything is up to par in terms of his heart functioning.

What Is The Normal Oxygen Level For A Child

Normal blood oxygen saturation is between 97-99% for most kids.

What is low oxygen level in child?, When children do not have enough oxygen for a short time, it may not harm them. They may have no affects you can see and they may not look different. Sustained low blood oxygen levels, like below 88 percent, can hurt the body. The heart gets larger than normal because it has to work harder to keep oxygen in the body.

Furthermore, What is a normal pulse oximeter reading for a child?, What is a normal reading? Pulse ox readings in the hand and foot that are 95-100% and equal to or less than 3% different than each other are normal in healthy children. Children with heart or lung problems may have lower readings.

Finally, What is a good oxygen rate by age?, The normal oxygen saturation level is 97100% . Older adults typically have lower oxygen saturation levels than younger adults. For example, someone older than 70 years of age may have an oxygen saturation level of about 95%, which is an acceptable level.

Recommended Reading: Thrz Calculator

What To Do If Your Child Has A Convulsion

Convulsions are rarely serious. If your child has a convulsion you should:

• Place your child on the floor and remove any objects they could knock against.
• Lie your child on their side, not on their back.
• Check that your child does not breathe in vomit.
• Dont force anything into your childs mouth.
• Dont shake, slap or try to restrain your child.
• Place your child on their side with their face turned to the floor once the fit has stopped.
• Note what time the fit started and stopped, so you can tell the doctor.
• Have your child checked by your local doctor or nearest hospital emergency department as soon as possible after the fit stops to find the cause of the fever.

What Does It Mean When A Babys Heart Rate Is Low

Bradycardia during labor and delivery can cause serious medical conditions to arise for the baby, even resulting in stillbirth in some cases. Thats why it is important that doctors and nurses monitor the babys heart rate closely. Fetal monitoring ensures that the baby is getting enough oxygen and it reduces the chances that there will be neonatal complications due to insufficient oxygen. Monitoring the fetal heart rate allows doctors to take action quickly should there be irregularities.

If a babys heart rate is low, there isnt proper monitoring, and as a result the baby suffers injuries, it may be considered medical malpractice. In that case, parents may be able to recover financial compensation for the damages.

Don’t Miss: How Do You Calculate Max Heart Rate

What Does A Low Fetal Heart Rate Mean For The Baby

• News
• What Does A Low Fetal Heart Rate Mean For The Baby?

A babys heart rate is usually monitored during labor and delivery. Its done to ensure that the babys heart rate is within the normal range, that the baby isnt in distress, and to allow for prompt action if the heart rate is too high or too low. Keeping track of the babys heart rate tells doctors how the baby is handling contractions and whether there is any need for medical intervention. When a babys heart rate is too low during labor and delivery, a condition called bradycardia, it may become necessary to perform an emergency C-section.

If a doctor fails to recognize that a fetal heart rate is too low, or the doctor doesnt act promptly, the baby may suffer serious medical complications. Additionally, when this happens, parents may need to bring a medical malpractice lawsuit against the doctor.

What Causes Arrhythmias

A unique electrical system in the heart causes it to beat in its regular rhythm. The electrical signals start from a group of cells located in the right atrium. This area is called the sinus node. The sinus node acts as the hearts natural pacemaker, making sure the heart beats at a steady rate most of the time. The sinus node will speed up the heart rate in response to things like exercise, emotions and stress, and slow the heart rate during sleep.

Sometimes the electrical signals dont communicate properly with the heart muscle, and the heart can start beating in an abnormal rhythm this is an arrhythmia.

Irregular heartbeat in children can be caused by:

• Caffeine
• Injuries to the heart from chest trauma or heart surgery
• Medicines
• Use of illegal drugs, alcohol or tobacco
• Stress

Arrhythmias can be temporary or permanent. Irregular heartbeat in children can be congenital or develop later in life.

Read Also: How Does Heart Disease Affect The Skeletal System

What Is The Heart Rate

Heart rate or pulse rate is the number of times your heart beats in a minute. It is a simple measure to know how much your heart works during rest or activities.

Heart rate is one of the vital signs that are checked regularly whenever you visit your doctor, or when you get admitted to the hospital.

Your heart rate is lower when you are resting and higher when you are doing any kind of activity, or are feeling stressed or anxious.

When you exercise, your heart needs to work harder, which increases your heart rate. As soon as you rest, the heart rate starts decreasing gradually and returns to its normal level, usually within an hour.

How To Take Your Childs Pulse

Your heart rate, also called your pulse, is the number of times your heart beats every minute. You can measure your childs pulse by placing your finger on his or her wrist, inside the elbow, the side of the neck, or the top of the foot.

These sites are areas of the body where an artery lies just under the skin. For example, the carotid artery is in the neck and the radial artery is in the wrist.

Read Also: Does Acid Reflux Cause Heart Palpitations

How Is Lqts Treated

Treatments for LQTS in children include medications such as beta blockers and surgical procedures such as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator .

Your childs doctor may also curtail any drugs known to prolong the QT interval. Other risk factors, such as an electrolyte imbalance, are best avoided as well.

What Is A Good Heart Rate For My Age

A good heart rate differs from individual to individual, and it depends upon your age and the kind of physical work you do.

Given below is the chart showing normal heart rates by age.

Heart Rate by Age Range

Approximate Age Range
15 years or older	60-100

However, a heart rate that is lower than 60 per minute does not necessarily mean that it is abnormal. If you are an athlete or someone who is engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity, you may have your heart rate between 40 and 60 per minute.

Also Check: Can Constipation Cause Heart Palpitations