please can someone come and talk to be about children's heart rates.

[ByThePowerOfGreyskull]

DS1 is 5.5 and has been complaining of a painful heart for the last 3 weeks,
we have been to see the GP who was great, very thorough.
She suggested I took his pulse each evening when he complains most about his heart hurting and keep a record, in passing she mentioned that she would be very happy for it to be anywhere between 80-120 but she wouldn't want to see it fluctuate alot if it was taken at teh same time of night.

so last night it was 105bpm he hadn't complained but I took it as a standard.
tonight he was crying and it was 72bpm

she wants us to do it over 10 nights but does this sound worrying to you?

I know it is a boring question but if anyone can help I woud really appreciate it

Hi BTPGS I wouldn't worry too much about it. I have worked in paeds cardiology for over 20 years and there is a large variation in pulse. I think the difficulty with taking his pulse is that in a 5 year old we would normally listen to the heart and count the number of beats rather than trying to feel a pulse as this can be quite difficult in this age group.
I would be more interested in how he was in himself rather than just taking his pulse.
Take it and go back to the GP but try not to worry too much about the numbers iyswim as long as he is ok in himself

thanks,

the GP said that she took a strong lead from mothers instinct, she said that if I felt he was fit and well (which I do) then she wasn't VERY concerned, but she did want me to do these evening pulse things.

It just seemed wierd that it was so low tonight.. is low better than high?

tbh if he was crying I think it was probably higher than that but you weren't able to feel it as it was too fast to count that way that's why we listen with a stethoscope