To take DS to a&e?

[endofmytether88]

Posting here for traffic.

DS(7) is we just about to play a game before bed. He said his heart was beating fast. This was 30 mins ago and his heart rate is still through the roof. We've tried deep breathing, drinking water, listening to his videos but it's not slowing. He doesn't feel sick or anything.

What should I do? Would it be OTT to go to hospital?

Have you actually counted his heart rate?

How fast is his heart rate? If it's more than 120-140bpm, he needs to go to ED even if he is well with it - children compensate for these things really well, until they can't anymore and drop off their perches really quickly.

Could just be caffeine, but I would expect it to be less than 120 if so - a small amount of coffee shouldn't have that much of an effect unless he's very caffeine sensitive

It's about 160bpm.. he doesn't normally have it, I usually get hot chocolate and he drank it thinking it was that then finished it anyway before I realised. He said it happened in bed last night too apparently so I'm unsure

I’d call 111 in that case

If it's 160bpm call 111 for advice.

Just take him to ED or you’re quite within your rights to call an ambulance if you’re at all concerned about him.

Does he take an inhaler? If he's changed his medication that can cause a racing heart.

Your son is having tachycardia. 111 will just send you to a&e. Why are you still waiting?

Hiya. Id ring 111 or get him to a and e. Sounds very similar to my daughter and shes been diagnosed with ventricular tachycardia. She has episodes where her heart rate shoots up to 160 - 200 BPM and were told if it's that high for longer than about 10 mins to take her in. Hope he's ok.

Straight to a&e. Better safe than sorry and you'd never forgive yourself if you miss something. Hope he is ok.

That’s high and unlikely to be from a swig of a latte hours ago especially as he is saying it happened yesterday too. Get medical advice don’t mess around with hearts.

As a former A&E nurse who now works at 111 as a clinical advisor I would be heading to ED

Agree, go to A&E

Sorry, I misread his age. At 7, that could absolutely be due to caffeine. Probably no need to worry too much unless it hits 180-200 at that age.

It can't be 160! Are you sure you've got that right? If you have, then I'd go to A&E.

I'm assuming the caffeine caused it but better to be safe. I'm pretty sure 111 will say to take him to a&e. Hope he feels better soon.

Hope you're in a&e now.

Yes I would go now, and if it happened last night too then it’s definitely not the coffee.

Go now.

Good luck.

Seek help! That is high.

If you get there and they tell you not to worry it's just caffeine fair enough, but taking advice from internet strangers saying it's just caffeine is madness.

Better to be safe than sorry!

@endofmytether88 please get to A&E that is crazy high!!!!!!

I hope you're headed to A&E. I wouldn't have been worried, until he said he had it last night too. Possibly just a virus starting up ! The bit of caffeine has set it off again, but two nights in a row I'd want it checked out. & I'd rather be in hospital while it slows down.

let us know how you get on xx

That's very fast for just a sinus tachycardia (what you can get from caffeine) even in a 7 year old (children naturally have a faster heart rate than adults). I'd want an ECG to make sure that his heart is actually in a normal rhythm, so A&E tonight, Especially as he says it happened before.

Pps please don’t spread nonsense about counting for 6 seconds and adding a zero! That’s such poor advice. Heart rate cannot be assessed in 6 seconds and a heart rate will fluctuate over the course of a minute so would give an inaccurate measurement. As PP said, count for at least 30 seconds but ideally one minute

It could be the caffeine but it may not be. I’d go to a&e. My DD has SVT and it sounds similar to that - but that’s just one example of what it could be.

Why not?

My daughter (4) had a very high heart rate every time she's ill. I think her record was 186.

She has long term open access to hospital for health conditions, so a consultant is only ever a call away. I tend to get her checked out when it hits 160+ (and doesn't come down with calpol). I know she runs fast though, so would expect a lower threshold for most people.

(She has a low fever right now and a HR of about 140. I'm keeping her home for now).

OP, definitely a hospital job in your circumstances I think. Best of luck.