Heart rate, or HR, directly reflects how the cardiovascular system functions. That is why pediatricians must check the child's pulse at the reception. However, parents also need to know what a child's heart rate is and how to correctly calculate the heart rate.
Indicators of normal heart rate in children
Pulse rate is a variable indicator that depends on a number of signs: the state of he alth at the time of measurement, the temperature in the room, physical activity and, most importantly, the moral state of the baby. Changes in heart rate help the heart to work he althy, thanks to which the human body quickly adapts to the external environment.
With age, heart rate changes. For example, a newborn baby's heart beats much faster than an adult's. This is due to the frequency of respiratory movements (respiratory rate for short). A recently born baby, on average, produces about 40-60 breaths and exits in one minute, unlike an adult, whose NPV is limited to 25. However, by the age of 15, a child’s heart rate is almost the same as an adult’sperson. Therefore, when measuring the number of heartbeats in a child, it is incorrect to focus on your own indicators.
So, what is the rate of heart rate in children? The table below shows the normal range according to age.
| Age | Limit of normal (sp) |
|
Newborn (0-3 months) |
100 - 150 |
| Baby 3-6 months | 90 - 120 |
| Baby 6 - 12 months | 80 - 120 |
| Child from 1 to 10 years old | 70 - 130 |
| Over 10 years old | 60 - 100 |
Measure your heart rate correctly
Measuring a child's heart rate is easy enough. To do this, you will need a stopwatch or any other device that allows you to count seconds. Find the baby's pulse. To do this, on the neck, back of the foot, temple or wrist, feel for the artery and lightly press it with your thumb and forefinger joined together. After you feel the rhythmic pulsation, start counting beats for 15 seconds. Multiply the number you got by four. The final figure is a measure of your child's heart rate.
Remember that the baby's pulse is measured only at rest! If your baby has just played active games or is very upset about something, then the heart rate results will notbe informative. You should also not forcefully measure the pulse, it is better to wait until the baby calms down and allows you to take measurements.
Increased heart rate
The rate of heart rate in a child, shown in the table above, is your main guideline. If your baby has a high heart rate, then this is not a reason to panic. Perhaps hot weather, a surge of emotions (fear, hysteria, fright, delight) or an active game provoked an acceleration of the heartbeat. Therefore, wait for the moment when your child is absolutely calm, and measure the pulse again. If the heart rate is also increased, then you should not postpone a visit to a pediatric cardiologist. Tachycardia, in other words, an increase in heart rate, can be a harbinger of pathological processes in the heart or the endocrine system.
Slow pulse
If the heart rate of a child at rest is below normal, then this indicates the presence of bradycardia. In some cases, a slow pulse may be considered normal. So, for example, the heart of athletes or people leading an active lifestyle makes about 35 contractions per minute. In this case, bradycardia indicates a good fitness of the body, as well as the strength of the heart muscle. If the child is far from active physical exertion, while experiencing fatigue, drowsiness or headaches during bradycardia, then a visit to the doctor is a must.
Normal heart rate in a child. Definition and concept
Lastly, let'sLet's talk a little about the concept of norm. What is the rate of heart rate in a child?
First of all, the norm is the average. That is, they took several thousand clinically he althy children and measured their heart rate. After that, they took the average indicators and agreed that they would take them as the norm. However, each human body is unique, in this regard, minor deviations from the norm are allowed. Therefore, if your child has no abnormalities in the cardiovascular system, blood pressure parameters are within the relative norm, while the child is active and feels good, then a deviation from the average heart rate within 20% is acceptable and is not considered a violation.
We hope you found this article helpful. Now you not only know everything about the heart rate rate, but you can also measure the heart rate yourself. Keep an eye on your baby's he alth and instill a he althy lifestyle from an early age.
