Paediatric Cardiac Care  ·  Pune  ·  Maharashtra
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Conditions We Treat

Arrhythmia in Children

A fast, slow or irregular heartbeat — most are harmless, some are not.

What is an arrhythmia?

An arrhythmia is any heartbeat that is unusually fast, unusually slow, or irregular in its rhythm. Children's hearts naturally beat faster than adults', and rhythm can vary with breathing, fever, activity and emotion — so not every irregular-feeling beat is a problem.

A genuine arrhythmia can arise from the heart's electrical system rather than its structure, and can occur in a heart that is otherwise completely normally formed, or alongside a structural condition. The range runs from entirely harmless variations to rhythms that need active treatment.

Signs that may point to it

Palpitations — a racing, pounding or fluttering feeling, described by older children directly
Fainting or dizziness, particularly during exercise — always worth prompt evaluation
Chest pain
In babies: episodes of poor feeding, pallor, or unusual fussiness that resolve as suddenly as they start
Sometimes found incidentally on a routine ECG

How it is diagnosed and treated

A resting ECG captures the heart's electrical pattern in the moment; because many arrhythmias are intermittent, longer monitoring — sometimes over 24 hours or longer — often catches the rhythm in the act. An echocardiogram checks whether the heart's structure is otherwise normal.

Many childhood arrhythmias need no treatment beyond reassurance and monitoring. Others are managed with medication, and some are treated definitively with a catheter-based procedure that targets the exact point in the heart's electrical system causing the problem.

Common questions

Is a fast heartbeat during exercise or fever a problem?
Usually not — a child's heart rate is expected to rise with activity, excitement or fever. What matters more is a racing heartbeat that comes on suddenly at rest, or fainting during exercise.
Does my child need a Holter monitor?
If symptoms are intermittent, a period of ECG monitoring at home is often the best way to actually catch the rhythm in question, since a single in-clinic ECG can easily miss it.
Can arrhythmias be cured, or is it lifelong medication?
Many childhood arrhythmias are outgrown or are treated definitively with a catheter procedure. Long-term medication is needed only for a smaller number of conditions.

Questions About Your Child?

Call us, or come in with the report you have been given. We would rather answer a question than have you worry about it.

Call 86983 13098 Book a Consultation Meet Dr. Pankaj Sugaonkar