If a child has a rapid heartbeat, this is a serious reason for parents to worry about his condition. These symptoms can occur for various reasons, for example, after exercise or emotional overload, and a similar condition can also be associated with an infection, fright or fever. Only a doctor can determine the exact cause of this condition, it is important to establish whether it is tachycardia or the reason lies in something else.
In order to independently monitor the condition of your baby, you should remember which heart rate values are the norm for a particular age.
Heart rate norms
Determine that a child has a rapid heartbeat, depending on whether the number of heart beats per minutenormal for his age.
In the first two days of the year, it should beat at a frequency of 122 to 158 beats per minute. In the future, the norms should be as follows:
- three to six days from birth - 13 - 167 beats per minute;
- one to three weeks - 106 - 180 bpm;
- one to two months - 120 - 180 bpm;
- three to five months - 105 - 185 bpm;
- six to eleven months - 110 - 170 bpm;
- one to two years - 90 - 150 bpm;
- three to four years - 70 - 140 bpm;
- five to seven years - 65 - 135 bpm;
- 8 to 11 years - 60 - 130 bpm;
- 12 to 15 years - 60 - 120 bpm.
Pathological physiology
The supply of the heart with nerves in a child occurs mainly due to the vagus nerve and the sympathetic ganglion. Afferent fibers are responsible for the transmission of pain sensations, which are associated with sympathetic ganglia. At the same time, people usually do not notice a rapid heartbeat, paying little attention to such a condition. Some patients may complain of stuffy ears or noise in the head already in childhood. This is a serious reason to consult a specialist to find out what is the cause of this problem.
First of all, with a rapid heartbeat in a child, tachycardia should be feared. This is a painful condition during which the heart rate increases markedly. This disease is associated with conductionelectrical signals, which deteriorates for one reason or another. In some cases, tachycardia is congenital. Then it can be diagnosed even at the stage of pregnancy.
Reasons
When a child has rapid breathing and heart rate, it may be tachycardia. Doctors make a similar diagnosis if the heart rate is 20 to 30 beats per minute higher than the norm.
It is worth noting that in children, initially, the heart beats much faster than in adults. This is due to the high oxygen demand and accelerated metabolism.
Often this can be due to physiological factors, for example, in addition to those already listed, it can be overheating, immaturity of the nervous system, overexcitation, excessive motor activity.
Pathological conditions
A rapid heartbeat in a child can manifest itself against the background of pathological conditions. These include:
- myocarditis (cardiopathy);
- congenital heart disease;
- dehydration;
- anemia;
- vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- pathology of the thyroid gland;
- pheochromocytoma - tumors of the adrenal glands;
- obesity.
Here are the main causes of heart palpitations in children. In a newborn baby, external stimuli, such as swaddling or examination by a doctor, as well as various pathological processes, can provoke a frequent heartbeat. It's anemiaperinatal encephalopathy, respiratory or heart failure, low blood sugar, congenital malformations or acute asphyxia. This is why a child's heart palpitations can appear even in infancy.
Types of tachycardia
Tachycardia in minors is divided into two main types. It can be paroxysmal or sinus.
Sinus tachycardia is characterized by increased work of the sinus node. A similar condition occurs in a child as a result of the body's response to stress, physical activity, drinking strong coffee, and in some other situations. If a child sometimes complains of a rapid heartbeat, then this is most likely one of these reasons. Tachycardia in such cases is temporary, not accompanied by any discomfort for the baby. After a fairly short period of time, the heart rate will return to normal as soon as the provoking factor that had a negative effect on the child's body is eliminated.
If a child's heart palpitations persist even at rest, what parents should do should be urgently decided. This can be caused by heart disease or all sorts of extracardiac factors. The latter include respiratory failure, anemia, and more. It is important that an attack of tachycardia is accompanied by discomfort, the baby may feel that he is sorely short of air.
Paroxysmal tachycardia
Paroxysmal tachycardia is characterized by a sharp increase in heart rate. At the same time, the indicators increase very significantly. The child may experience unpleasant pain in the chest or abdomen, signs of cyanosis, shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness throughout the body. It is important that the attack passes as suddenly as it began. In some children, arrhythmia may occur without any noticeable symptoms. In this case, it will be possible to identify it only during a thorough and detailed dispensary examination.
Parents need to remember that sinus tachycardia in childhood is much more common than paroxysmal.
Arrhythmia is a disease that can persist for many years. At the same time, attacks of tachycardia in a chronic form are regularly accompanied by a feeling of suffocation, low blood pressure, nausea, excessive sweating, convulsions, chest pain, fainting and dizziness.
A certain difficulty in diagnosis lies in the fact that babies are often unable to clearly articulate what exactly worries them, describe their symptoms, complain to their parents about the deterioration of their condition. In this case, it is necessary to suspect the presence of tachycardia or other similar pathologies. To notice that something is wrong with the child, parents can lose the baby's appetite, pronounced anxiety, and sleep disturbance.
In this case, you should carefully examine the child, measure his heart rate, if necessary, seek medical help.
First Aid
If a child has a tachycardia attack, an ambulance should be called immediately. Until the doctors arrive, there are several ways to relieve the baby's condition.
Remove his neck and chest from tight clothing, provide the patient with sufficient fresh air, and put a damp cloth or handkerchief on his forehead.
Diagnosis
To diagnose the patient's condition, the doctor, first of all, conducts a survey of the minor and his parents in order to find out all the complaints that bother him. After that, an initial inspection is carried out.
Often, additional examinations should be carried out for an accurate diagnosis. These are urinalysis, biochemical and general blood tests, echocardiography, electrocardiogram.
Treatment methods
The doctor determines the methods of treatment, based on the general condition of the patient, the cause of tachycardia and its variety. Depending on these factors, this may be drug therapy, physiotherapy exercises, adherence to sleep patterns, and dietary nutrition. Valgus techniques can be used directly during an attack, for example, blowing the auditory tubes using the Vasilyev method.
In exceptional cases, the cause of a rapid heartbeat in a minor may be an organic heart disease. A very common option is the appearance of additional pathways. In this case, surgical intervention is required.
Requirements and recommendations
In order for the treatment of the baby to be as productive and effective as possible, adults must adhere to all medical recommendations received, as well as organize the correct diet and appropriate daily routine for the young patient.
Coffee, tea, spicy and s alty foods, products containing cocoa in their composition are necessarily excluded from the patient's diet. Nutrition should be rich in fiber, complete, saturated with light carbohydrates. Particular attention should be paid to protein foods - its quantity should be limited.
In some cases, parents in the fight against arrhythmia can use traditional medicine. Such methods should be used only if the disease does not have a functional origin. In addition, you should definitely consult with your doctor.
Fever
Special attention should be paid if there is a rapid heartbeat in a child with a temperature. As a rule, this can be considered a natural reaction of the body to the disease. In this case, such a condition will not be considered a pathology. It will pass in parallel with the healing.
The body temperature traditionally rises to expel viruses and germs. In this case, the conditions for them become as unfavorable as possible.
High temperature and heart palpitations in a child in this case indicate that the body is fighting the disease. In such a situation, the immune system begins to work, as in a combatmode. Not only the heart rate becomes more frequent, but the blood flow is also accelerated, as the task of expelling foreign elements from body tissues appears. The rhythm of heart contractions and pulse at the same time increase in the most natural way. So don't be surprised if a child's heart palpitations rise with a fever.
After you carry out the appropriate procedures aimed at lowering the temperature, the fever will begin to subside. Only in the event that the tachycardia does not begin to pass, we can say that the body is not able to cope with the viruses on its own. Then we are talking about a hidden pathology.
Vomiting
In some cases, the child develops vomiting and a rapid heartbeat. When such symptoms appear, first of all, the likelihood of an exacerbation of any chronic disease in a minor should be excluded.
There can be quite a few reasons for such a state, we will list the main ones.
- Intestinal infections - dysentery, rotavirus infection, salmonellosis.
- Poisoning - food or resulting from taking drugs, carbon monoxide, chemicals, drugs, alcohol.
- Allergic reactions to foods or medicines.
- Primary signs of acute inflammation of the appendicitis and epigastric organs.
- Infectious diseases - meningitis, pneumonia, encephalitis.
- Tranio-cerebral injury or disorders of the central nervous system.
- Acetone crisis.
- Heat or sunstroke.
- Dysbacteriosis.
Acetone increase
The rapid deterioration of the child's condition can be caused by acetonemic intoxication. In this case, a rapid heartbeat appears in a child of 5 years or another age. You can also determine the pathological condition of the baby by some other signs. We list the main ones in this article, since the disease is very dangerous, you should know exactly about its signs in order to recognize it in time and immediately seek qualified medical help.
In a minor, an increase in the level of acetone in the body can be determined by the following symptoms:
- High heart rate.
- Pain in the abdomen in the form of cramps.
- Strong and violent vomiting repeated many times.
- Weakness, nausea, pale skin.
- Sharp odor of acetone in urine, vomit and breath.
- Dehydration.
- Increased body temperature.
- Inhibition of movement, convulsions, photophobia, loss of consciousness.
If a child has acetone in the urine, you should see a doctor as soon as possible. During the treatment period, alkaline drinking, a special diet, and the restoration of normal glucose levels in the child's body are recommended.
