The baby has a heart murmur: what you should know

Approximately half of the children have a heart murmur. As usual, parents get very scared when the doctor tells them that the baby has a heart murmur, but in most cases they are harmless. They are known as functional murmurs or innocent murmurs.

It is often believed that a murmur is due to a serious heart disease, however, infant murmurs are called innocent murmurs because they do not affect the health of the child and can appear and disappear throughout childhood.

The murmur in the heart is a very peculiar noise that is detected when the doctor listens to the child with the stethoscope. It resembles the noise that occurs when there is a loss of air, hence the name of breath.

The noise of the blood flowing through the child's heart resembles the sound of water when it flows through a hose, only in the case of the little ones, having their heart closer to the chest walls, it can be heard more easily .

The cause that produces a heart murmur is not known for sure, but to understand how it occurs you have to understand how the heart works. We see it below.

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The functioning of the heart

The heart is divided into two parts: the left and right, and in turn each of them is divided into two: the ventricles, the two lower cavities that pump the blood and the atria, the two upper cavities that receive the blood.

The heart has four heart valves that are located in the outlets of the four cavities of the heart and open in one direction, preventing blood flow from flowing backwards.

The veins carry blood to the right atrium and passes to the right ventricle through the tricuspid valve. It then passes to the lungs to oxygenate through the pulmonary valve. Return oxygenated to the left atrium and passes to the left ventricle through the bicuspid valve. Then the blood is pumped to the whole body through the aortic valve that connects with the aorta, the main artery of the human body responsible for transporting and distributing oxygen-rich blood to all those arteries.

Now, when there is a small anomaly like the narrowing of a valve or when any of the four valves does not close completely a noise similar to a murmur is produced and that is when the doctor diagnoses the murmur.

The functional or innocent breath

Is a non-pathological heart abnormality and usually disappears on its own as the child grows In fact, the functional or innocent murmur may appear and disappear or appear in special circumstances such as when the child has a fever, when the heart rate accelerates or manifest when lying down and disappear when sitting.

You can simply feel the noise of the heart, but its functioning is normal and the heart is completely healthy.

It does not imply that there may not be a heart condition in the future but having a functional murmur in childhood does not increase the risk.

Most childhood murmurs are innocent, do not require any treatment and the child can live a normal life, run, jump and play without limit.

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The organic breath

In some cases a breath is the symptom of a defect in the shape of the heart, and consequently, in its function.

It reflects a heart disease caused by a cardiac abnormality or congenital heart disease. They are called organic puffs and are permanent.

Many times, the presence of a murmur is the first sign of congenital heart disease.

Generally, but not always, they are accompanied by other symptoms such as sweating, growth problems, rapid breathing, tiredness, frequent bronchitis, the child becomes purple when crying or making an effort.

Yes from a breath in the baby's heart The doctor suspects a heart problem that could be serious, will refer the child to a pediatric cardiologist who will surely ask for tests to confirm the diagnosis.

Video: When a Child Has a Heart Murmur - Dr. Nita Doshi (March 2024).