my baby has a heart murmur

[RFCMummy]

Went for a 6 week check with the GP yesterday and she thinks she can hear a slight heart murmur on my daughter. They didn't pick it up at the hospital when we were discharged after birth but she is going to refer us back to get it checked out. I was so upset yesterday but have calmed down now! Does anyone else have experience of this or can give me any advice?

[funkimummy]

Yes My DH has a heart murmur. Only diagnosed a few weeks back.

A murmur is the sound the blood makes as it flows over or through an irregular surface as it's trying to get round the heart.

Most aren't serious and in no way will restrict a child's activity.

DH goes to the gym 3 times a week, runs, plays football etc etc.

On a slightly different note, my cousin has a hole in her heart, and has been perfectly active for her whole life. She's a young woman now.

[funkimummy]

That should be diagnosed a few years back!

[LadyVictoriaOfCake]

plenty of experience. most babies are born with murmurs or sounds, the small holes close after birth.

your dd probably has a innocent/soft systolic murmur. in reality if its this, it wont affect her at all, maybe need extra anti-biotics before dental work, but generally wouldnt be a problwem in day to day life.

dd2 has a murmur, dd1 has a murmur and leaking mitrael valve, dh has serious heart problems. dd3 is clear.

at the appointment, you may see a paed, then get referred to cardio for an echocardiogram. they will do a scan of your daughters heart in a darkened room, and check flows through the heart, listen to it, and then tell you there if its innocent murmur. it sounds scary, but it isnt,honestly.

[RLR]

my dd has just a couple of months ago got referred and shes 3 when we went to the appointment at hospital they heard it and have now got to refer her again to a better hospital. its so easy to worry about our children its natural the doctor at the hospital said dont worry [yeah right dont worry easy for him to say]. but then i think if it was really that bad they would have admitted her into hospital. so we now have to wait for another letter from the other hospital. hope you are ok take care

[BellaLasagne]

My DH has had one all his life. Was in the Army for 20 years and it never stopped him. He's still fit and healthy.

HTH

[eandh]

My husband has a heart mumur,hole in his heart and thin valve on right hand side (has had all these since birth 32 years ago) he is tons more fit than me plays footie twice a week, cycles to work and back (5mile round trip) runs regulary and generally is very active and hardly ever gets ill. He used to snoke but has given that up and generally eats healthily

He has 6month check ups at hospital (ecg and consultant) but all the time he is as fit and healthy they will not do anything and keep monitoring him. MIL said if it was diagnosed at borth these days they would operate whilst young but wasnt done all those years ago. It really does not affect him just has to be careful what antiobiotics he has if he is ill and any dental wotk he has to have specific medicines beforehand.

The only time its affected us is both times I have been pregnant I have had to have full cardiac scan done between 24-28weeks of my pregnancy at Brompton Hospital to check baby (it runs his family grandfather,uncle and him and appear more male problem and we had 2 dd's it hasnt affected them)

Hope all goes well with your dd

[LadyVictoriaOfCake]

eandh i had to have fetal cardiac scans as well. mine were done at guys

[eandh]

apologies for typos holding dd2 and attempting to type

[eandh]

Good excuse for shopping trip in London although was with my Dad when had scan with dd2 as mum looked after dd1 and dh was at work so he wasnt really ideal shopping partner!!

[dueat44]

My DS had a slight heart murmur; it resolved by the time he was three. Please try not to worry.

[Highlander]

very common at that age. try not too worry, will probably resolve as she grows.

[fanella]

my brother and sister both had heart murmurs - they are absolutely fine.

More to the point maybe - I have a hole in my heart which wasn't diagosed until I was eleven. I had to have regular ECGs over the next few years, and now no longer need check ups regularly. I must have penicillin if I need antibiotics for any reason. It doesnt affect my life in any other way...

It is common, please try not to worry. If it's anything more than a murmur (which I'm sure it isn't), its good that it has been picked up now and can be monitored if necessary.

[adorabelle]

I was diagnosed with a heart murmur when I
was 18 mnths. My little sis who is 12 now was also found to have one when she was 1.

Neither of us has had any symtoms or side effects caused by our murmurs, not 1

My mum freaked out when I was diagnosed, anything to 'do with the heart' sounds so serious but a murmur really is nothing to worry about, they are very common.

Enjoy your little one, the dr's know about it now so will keep an eye on it. I still have my murmur but my sister doesn't and more than likely your dd will 'outgrow' her murmur too.

[ShinyHappyPeopleHoldingHands]

Heart murmurs can come and go and are often not a sign of anything serious.

Hope all is fine, tyr not to panioc RFC. Congrats on your new baby. xx

[RFCMummy]

Thanks everyone for all your replies, advice and kind words. I am feeling much better about it now xx