What is a heart murmur?
Heart murmur is defined as simple noises heard between heartbeats. During the heart examination, the doctor hears heart sounds like "lub-dub", "lub-dub", "lub-dub". Most of the time, no other sounds are heard during the time between lub and dub and dub and lub. Any sound heard during these periods, which should be quiet, is called a murmur. Although the word murmur can be offensive, murmurs are extremely common and are generally normal as the blood pumping sounds of a healthy heart.
Innocent murmurs
Heart murmurs heard in preschool and school-age children are generally not alarming, do not require any special care, and these sounds disappear over time. These sounds in children are called "normal" or functional or innocent heart murmurs.
If your child has such a murmur, it was probably detected during a routine examination between the ages of one and five. The doctor will listen to your child carefully to determine whether this sound is a "normal" heart murmur. However, it would be more appropriate to consult a Pediatric Cardiology Specialist to be sure of this sound.
Hearing a heart murmur in babies
From birth to the first six months of life Murmurs heard during the month are not functional or innocent and most likely require immediate evaluation by a Pediatric Cardiology Specialist. It should not be forgotten that the holes (septal defects) between the blood collecting (atria) and pumping (ventricles) chambers of the heart or abnormal connections between the large blood vessels coming out of the heart (aorta and pulmonary arteries) may be the cause of these murmurs. The c that turns blue in these babies Skin color changes (bruising), breathing or feeding difficulties, and growth retardation will also be observed. Therefore, additional tests such as electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (ECHO) need to be performed. While the ECG gives an idea about the electrical stimulation and conduction system of the heart, the ECHO using sound waves gives detailed information about the structure of the heart.
If the tests are normal, the additional heart sound in the baby can be called an innocent murmur. , but your Pediatric Cardiology Specialist will continue to follow your baby throughout the development period. Because in healthy babies, it is important that the openings in the womb that need to be closed soon after birth are monitored by a Pediatric Cardiology Specialist. Otherwise, situations that are very difficult to correct may be encountered as a result of missed treatment timing.
Treatment
Children diagnosed with innocent murmurs are a Child Heart Diseases Even if it is monitored by a (Pediatric Cardiology) Specialist, this condition does not require any restrictions for sports and other physical activities.
The innocent murmur usually disappears by itself in mid-adolescence. How these murmurs disappear rather than being heard is still unknown. The fact that these murmurs are heard softer in one examination by the same specialist and louder in another examination can be explained by the child's different heart rates. However, as a result, these murmurs will most likely disappear over time.
As a result of the examinations performed for heart murmurs, some of the babies and children diagnosed with heart disease are followed up with or without medication, while others should be treated quickly. . Depending on the age of the child and the type of disease There are different treatment options.
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