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Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Children's health

6-year-old with fast heart beat - should I worry?

88 replies

imaginaryfriend · 29/01/2009 20:27

My dd is as fit as a fiddle, eats well, gets lots of exercise. She's had problems with allergies - asthma, eczema and she has a severe allergy to nuts.

Over the last week she's complaining of a fast heart when she lies down and keeps calling me in in the night. Her heart rate is going up to 150+ then it seems to ease off again by itself after about 10 minutes. I thought perhaps she was having a nightmare and waking up with an anxiety attack... ? Can you get them when you're 6?!? However it started tonight when she lay down to sleep and she's finding it difficult to settle.

Any ideas? Is it likely to be anything I should worry about? She seems more tired than usual at the moment, it was the first thing she said to me tonight when I picked her up. She's usually full of beans. She also wanted to go straight home where she would normally want a play in the park on the way.

OP posts:

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scrooged · 30/01/2009 21:43

The normal rate for an ill, feverish child is about 120 (depending on their age) IIRC. Either way, 150 is too fast. Anaemia can cause palpitations, along with pale skin and panda eyes so this could be the cause but needs investigating.

Have you noticed any abnormal bruising?

tiggerlovestobounce · 30/01/2009 21:52

I would definately get her checked out. It could be something fairly straightforward, but this does need to be diagnosed properly.

In response to the earlier post (at 20:36:11) You cant know whether this is VT or not - that would be diagnosed by an ECG, not simply by the presence of a fast heart rate.

I think that the need to have this properly diagnosed is the main thing, more important than worrying about fueling her fears. If she is seen and reassured then that might make her feel better.
I would have a very low threshold for getting her seen over the weekend.

imaginaryfriend · 30/01/2009 22:10

No fever and nothing like bruising. I was suggesting the sweating may have been coming down with a cold, not the heartbeat.

She really is normally, apart from the allergies, a very healthy child. She's a good weight, very active, bright as a button.

I just don't know what to do. Dp really thinks I'm being crazy. But then he hasn't been there when her heart's been racing.

As it's weekend I'd have to take her to A&E and I do feel slightly daft doing that as she looks and seems so well! I'm going to be watching her very very closely though and if there's one tiny incident of heart racing I'll get her straight in to hospital.

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scrooged · 30/01/2009 22:15

That sounds like a good plan. You can never be too careful with things like this.

imaginaryfriend · 30/01/2009 22:19

I totally agree. I'm torn in two about it. I don't want to panic unecessarily but I also don't want to take any chances. Having seen dd go into anaphylactic shock after having peanuts for the first time I'm aware how quickly children can go down hill if unwell.

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scrooged · 30/01/2009 22:23

I spent 2 years training as a paediatric nurse. I saw all sorts, little ones who you think 'there's nothing wrong with them' who turn out to have meningitis or something worse, then the opposite. I don't take any chances with ds, when you see children with a headache who turn out to have a tumour it tends to make you overprotective. It can be really scary as a parent. I've seen some very sad things.

imaginaryfriend · 30/01/2009 22:33

I can imagine you have.

How much would the GP be able to tell me do you think? Would I need to take her to hospital to be sure?

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scrooged · 30/01/2009 22:37

Your GP will check her over and refer her for an ECG and blood tests (might be a good idea). From the ECG they can tell if there are any missed beats/'electrical' problems etc which would help narrow the diagnosis down. She may need an ECG which she wears for a few days so they can pick up the fast heart beat. They would so the same at the hospital but would put her on cardiac monitoring so would be there if she had this problem again.

imaginaryfriend · 30/01/2009 22:44

I'll definitely take her along to the GP next week even if she's ok over the weekend. But if there's even a teeny racing heart this weekend I'll take her straight to A&E.

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scrooged · 30/01/2009 22:51

That's a good plan. Take her in straight away if you are concerned or if she has chest pain, even if it is mild. Do contact if NHS direct you are worried.

imaginaryfriend · 30/01/2009 22:53

I'm not a fan of NHS Direct to be honest.

She hasn't complained of any chest pain so far thank goodness.

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scrooged · 30/01/2009 22:56

Is there a childrens emergency department near you? You could always give them a call and see what they say. I worked in one briefly, parents do this all the time as alot of them distrust NHS direct aswell. At least they will be honest with you and they can ask a paediatrician.

imaginaryfriend · 30/01/2009 23:21

There's only the paediatric A&E dept. at the hospital - St. Thomas' (we're in London) that I know of.

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oranges · 30/01/2009 23:23

take her to st thomas's children's a&e on saturday anyway and get them to check her. they are really good at this kind of thing.

imaginaryfriend · 30/01/2009 23:27

Yes, maybe I should just take her in in the morning. And not tell dp unless it turns out there's anything to worry about!

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scrooged · 30/01/2009 23:29

It will be good if there's nothing to worry about. It's better to take her and it be nothing then leave it thinking it's nothing and it is something IYSWIM.

Let me know how you get on.

imaginaryfriend · 31/01/2009 00:04

Yes, I will. Thanks for all your advice! She's sleeping very soundly tonight but is a bit snuffly.

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scrooged · 31/01/2009 00:06

scrooged · 31/01/2009 17:05

Did yoy take her?

hobbgoblin · 31/01/2009 17:15

I'm sorry to thread crash but this thread caught my eye as I used my doppler on DS2 this week and was surprised to find his heart rate was not disimilar to the baby's.

Having read this I just measured it now using radial pulse and it is 130bpm and he was resting.

Do I need to worry too?

scrooged · 31/01/2009 17:19

It depends how old he is. Babies and toddlers have a fast heart rate at about this rate, it decreases as they get older.

hobbgoblin · 31/01/2009 17:20

He is 5. He has an upset tum at the moment too.

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scrooged · 31/01/2009 17:24

Poor thing. ds's heart rate can go to this when he's ill, the heart rate goes quicker to pump more of the white blood cells around to kill off any bugs. A fever increases the heart rate, as does excercise/crying. If there are no symptoms/excessive tiredness/happens on more than one occasion then it's best to get it checked.

hobbgoblin · 31/01/2009 17:30

Thanks scrooged.

I plan to take him to GP after the weekend anyway as he claims to have a 'stiff poo' problem despite the fact that he is passing virtual water every half hour.

Initially I thought he could have impacted poo resulting in the runs around it as I have heard that can happen but I think now that he is unlikely to be constipated.

As I say, sorry to thread crash.

scrooged · 31/01/2009 17:34

Do call NHS direct if you are concerned. I'm not a student nurse any more or a doctor so you should really contact them, there's alot of people like me on here who know little so it's best to contact the professionals.

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