Heart Murmur In Babies & Children

What is a Heart Murmur ?

Heart murmurs are very common in children. They are extra noises from the heart, heard with a stethoscope. They may represent an underlying heart problem or may be a normal finding (innocent). They are frequently heard incidentally when e.g. a child is taken to the GP or another doctor for a different reason e.g. a fever. A child with a heart murmur is usually assessed with a clinical examination followed by an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound) and ECG.

Innocent Heart Murmurs

These are the commonest murmurs in children and affect up to 1 in 3 children at some time in their life. They may be present one day and not on another day and are often louder when a child is unwell e.g.with a fever. They are a normal finding and do not mean that there is any problem with the heart. They are caused by normal blood flow in the heart and the surrounding blood vessels. The diagnosis is made after an assessment by a paediatric cardiologist. If your child has an innocent heart murmur they are within the normal range and do not require any medical follow up or treatment and no restrictions should be put on their activities. In some children, the murmur disappears as they get older and in others it persists throughout life. Dr Naqvi says “Sometimes we can hear water in our radiators and house waterpipes without there being a problem. Similarly, extra noises may be heard from the heart without there being a problem.

Pathological heart murmurs

Other heart murmurs may be due to a problem with the heart. Such problems include holes in the heart, narrow or leaking heart valves, and abnormal heart connections. Even if your child has a pathological heart murmur they may not necessarily require treatment. Mild conditions which cause heart murmurs can be monitored. Management will depend on the underlying condition which can usually be diagnosed with an echocardiogram (heart ultrasound).
Disclaimer: The opinions and facts shown in this article are as accurate and up to date as possible, but are provided as general “information resources”, which may not be relevant to individual persons. This article is not a substitute for individual assessment and always take advice from a paediatric cardiologist who is familiar with the particular person.