Heart mumurs in babies

[Meagain24]

Hello

i went for my babies 6 week gp check today, and she said she could hear a murmur and would refer him for a scan.

I’m worried about what this means. She did say most of them in babies are innocent, and said she wasn’t too worried. His heart was checked after birth by a midwife and the next day by a doctor before we were discharged. Neither of them had any concerns but is it possible they missed it?

Thanks

@Meagain24yeah he did, I posted a bit earlier in the thread. I also remember the terror I felt when the Dr told me at less than 24 hours old they needed to do a scan and blood pressure to see what was going on. But it self healed as many do and by 8 months old we were discharged and he’s now 26 with no repercussions from it

My DS was premature and was diagnosed with a murmur and a hole in the heart at 2 weeks. They aren’t concerned, he had a heart scan every 18 months but they fully expect it to sort itself out eventually. He’s six now and never had a problem from it. I just have to mention it as part of his medical history

Absolutely thriving. Was picked up at 20 week scan because one or their issues is very obvious when you looked at their heart but yes doing great!

Another whose new baby had a heart murmur. I do remember how worrying it is but my baby was also completely fine x

@glendabrownlow thank you for replying! Did they tell you there & then everything was ok? Such a worrying time!

This was a long time ago... it was discovered at his 6 week check and the nurse didn't really seem worried but sent him for further checks. Apparently heart murmurs in newborns is very common and goes on its own as the baby grows and the organs get bigger. I will add that he is now a 40 year old father of 3, and perfectly healthy. Best wishes x

@Catchee did they give you any indication it was ok on the day? How long ago was this? Thank you!

My had one at birth it was gone at next appointment. It’s very common and most times disappears on its own

@firstofallimadelight thanks for replying. My baby’s heart was listed to by midwife and then separately a doctor at birth and no murmur was mentioned. So I’m concerned it started to show later or was missed. Was your baby’s heard straight after birth?

My son was born with a VSD, he had yearly check ups then it closed itself when he was around 5.

Its very common, try not to worry. A heart murmur or hole in the heart sounds terrifying, but in many cases it isn't.

Yes straight after birth, sorry I didn’t pick up on the time line.

@Catchee no worries at all, thanks for your reply!

The same thing happened with my DD, nothing picked up at birth but then a murmer found at the 6 week check... she was eventually referred to cardiology and a small hole was found, she was kept on review and by the time she was 2 it had gone!

They then kept a closer eye on my second baby because of this, he also had a small hole, his hasn't closed up yet (he is 5 now), but he has absolutely no issues at all.

As a PP said, if they are growing and feeding thats a good sign! There is a good chance the murmer may be completely innocent- even if it isn't, there are lots of causes that won't need any intervention and will resolve themselves!

Before a baby is born it cannot use its lungs. So nature provides a slightly different 'plumbing'. Foreman ovale and ductus arteriosus are both parts of that pluming.

Once the baby is born and starts to use its lungs these should close up, if they don't then they are known as 'patent'.

With the plumbing sorting itself out sometimes a noise is heard on a stethoscope, this is a murmur.

The 'scan' is probably an echocardiogram, a form of ultrasound that can look at the structure of the heart and how the blood is flowing.

I know it is hard but please try not to worry OP, the advice about your baby being pink and taking bottles is good.

There are two things, your baby has a heart condition or your baby doesn't. But for now you don't know, worrying about it is not going to change either of those outcomes. Try to just enjoy your baby,

@sashh thanks for this ❤️

D's had one at 6 weeks. By the time we got to the specialists at 3 months it had all but gone. It's not been heard since.

Friend's dc had one that didn't go. She has a check up annually and that's it. She does marathons and recently had her first baby. All is fine with her.

I was born with a heart condition described at the time to my parents as a murmur I was monitored and later diagnosed age 4 with pulmonary stenosis. while I was a child I was mostly healthy but did struggle with sports/running & some palpitations, I’m 45 now I’ve had the first change since childhood last year but it’s never affected my day to day life I can do everything I want to do.

I am still monitored have an echo & ecg plus follow up with my cardiologist and always will be I was told. I also had a few extra checks during pregnancy & childbirth to check strain on my heart. Both my girls hearts were check at fetal medicine twice during my pregnancy but thankfully they aren’t affected by it.

My 8 year old was born with a murmur which was found at the 6 weeks check. Turned out his was caused by severe Pulmonary Stenosis. He had a valvuloplasty at 16 weeks and has been fine ever since.

@Denimbee27 thank you. Do you know at what point yours was picked up? I.e straight after birth before leaving the hospital

@BeckiP85 thank you! Will he always need check ups?

I’m not entirely sure I would have been very small but from age 2 my mum had her own further concerns that it was more then a murmur I had difficulty with running and had some episodes of palpitations asked to be seen by a paediatrician again it wasn’t officially noted until I was 4 on hospital notes that it was more than a murmur but the checks may not have been so through it’s a long time ago. It’s only in my GP medical records from 1991 about the pulmonary stenosis when I was first seen at a large children’s hospital

My boy was born with a murmur, checked a few times since then, scana etc. since been discharged, it's totally innocent and nothing to worry about, and most likely he'll grow out of it. The consultant said that a lot of people probably have it and don't even know as it's very common. I hope your baby is ok.

No problem.

Just had my sons appointment through for a few weeks time which has bought back my anxiety 🙁

Are there any other people out there with stories/info?

thanks