How Diagnostic Testing Can Determine If Your Child's Heart Murmur Is Abnormal

It is common to not want your child to have any limitations and to enjoy adolescence. Unfortunately, a heart condition can make it hard to participate in physical activity. If your child is diagnosed with a heart murmur, then it is not always a sign of a weak heart.

In 90 percent of children between the ages of four to seven, you can hear a heart murmur at some point. If your child has an abnormal murmur, then it may still not require treatment. However, your doctor will want to monitor it as your child's condition progresses. Read on to find out how diagnostic testing can determine if your child's condition is abnormal:

What Is The Extra Noise?

The human heartbeat has a steady sound. When you have a murmur, your blood makes an extra noise as it flows through your heart. The extra noise is a whooshing sound, which is heard between your heartbeats.

Consider An Electrocardiogram To Check For Heart's Electrical Activity

An electrocardiogram (EKG) is used to record the electrical activity of your heart. This test records the timing and strength of electrical signals as they go through each part of this organ. It shows how fast your heart is beating, and whether the rhythm is irregular or steady. An EKG can locate and determine any problem that affects your heart.

Check For Congenital Defects

Some babies are born with something wrong with the structure of their heart. A murmur can be a sign of a congenital heart defect. In this situation, your doctor will refer you to a pediatric cardiologist.

An echocardiogram is one of the tests used to look at the heart. It is a specialized ultrasound machine that makes video images of your beating heart. The images are created using ultrasound waves. This test evaluates your valves, chambers and the organ's performance.

After performing diagnostic testing, your doctor can determine if you have a health problem. Common heart defects that cause murmurs include a hole in the septum, valve abnormalities, and cardiomyopathy.

Parents must be observant as their children are developing. It starts at birth because a child's health can change quickly. Your doctor is not in your household and can only make observations during appointments. You want to catch any health problems in the beginning stages. However, your pediatric cardiologist can determine if your child's murmur is normal or related to a specific heart problem.

Contact a medical office like EVDI Medical Imaging for more information and assistance.