So, two times in the last several months, while my 4.5 year old son is playing, he has stopped, and said to me "Mommy, my heart is beating". He has been engaged in active play both times. The first times I just figured he had noticed his heart beats faster when he is active, and that is normal of course. Or maybe they had been talking about it at school and he just happened to notice it. He said it again this weekend, and now it makes me feel nervous. I put my hand on his chest and I could feel his heart beating fast, and since he was running/playing I would expect it to be fast. But I have no medical background and I dont think I would be able to tell if it was "too fast" or unusual in any way.
I am setting up an appointment at the pediatrician to dicuss this, but in the meantime, please talk me off the ledge because I feel freaked out. Like really freaked out. Has anyone had a similar experience? He does not have any known medical issues or allergies, and is a very active boy.
My son did that also. He's fine. He is 6 and noticed that his testicle is like a marble. Now THAT is an amusing conversation to have!
Chances are, it's just as you thought, he just happened to notice it. If you are still concerned, take his pulse while he is active so the pedi can have a more complete picture.
My kids have all noticed their heart beat at sometime growing up. It's just a growing awareness about their bodies.
My daughter did this too, at the same age. It was so cute! "Mommy, my heart is beeping. Feel it!"
She did it a few times and always after playing or running around. I figured that she was ore aware of it as most people can feel their heart beating after exertion.
When we talked about it, she said that it was mentioned at school and they all felt their hearts with their hand. I think it is in the curriculum for that age group if it is a state supported pre k. That or we just have a couple of awesome pre K teachers! (I pick the latter- Ms. Michel is awesome)
They get excited about how their bodies work. My daughter likes to listen to our hearts beat and often commented on hers at that age. Normal.
No need to freak out, but if it makes you feel better then go to the doctor's office. He is discovering his body, plus, children's heart rate is faster than adults. My son is 6, and still says, "Mom feel my heart beat", this is totally normal behavior and I'm sure he's completely fine!
My daughter complains about that, started around 6 yrs old. She is now 14. Whenever she gets checked out, she is fine. The doc suggested wearing a heart rate monitor if she is concerned and see what it says based on level of activity. If you do think there is cause for concern, have his checked. The doc could have him do jumping jacks in the exam room and get a little wrist monitor that you can look at. Just remember or write down what his range should be.
No need to be "freaked out." He's just doing what all kids do. He's noticing his environment. He's discovered that his heart beats. No big deal! He's noticed his heart, just as he noticed the birds or the trees have no leaves or anything else that he's not noticed before.
Great time to get some books about his body..
Any time our daughter started showing an interest in something.. we would follow through with information..
We loved that funny gross book called "Dr. Dog".
He's probably just noticing when his heart beats really hard (when he's playing around). It's probably nothing, but I'm glad you made an appointment with your ped. My son has a complex congenital heart defect and heart defects are the #1 birth defect (1 in 100). It's probably nothing, but worth checking!
I have heart palpitations - where my heart beats really hard and fast - due to allergies. It is something that seemed to have been past down within my family - my grandfather had it, my mother hand it and I have it. Triggers are exhaustion and/or allergies. It first happened to me at ballet class when I was 8. My heart went immediately from its normal rhythum to a fast hard beat like a switch had been flipped and then after a couple of minutes felt like it stopped completely and then resumed its normal beat. It sounds like your son is experiencing something similar especially since it seems like he notices the change immediately where it makes him stop for a second.
Next time it happens have him lay down and put your hand on his chest so you can feel it. Have him slowly breathe in to a count of 10 and breathe out to a count of 10. That exercise usually helps me. If you feel it gradually slow then it is just his heart racing from exercise. If you feel it immediately switch to a slower rhythum then it is probably what I have. Another exercise that works for some is for them to bear down like having a bowel movement.
I am sorry I do not recall the name for my condition but it is harmless. There are pills and operations to correct it but the cardiologists I have seen in the past (the condition has worried some of my regular doctors) have all said that if it is not really affecting my lifestyle then they don't think I should bother with any treatment. One of them also told me that it keeps my heart muscle nice and strong. :-)
I also did not have any known allergies as a kid. As an adult I have allergies to pollen and mold but nothing severe - just the usually runny nose in spring and fall. So the heart palpitations were the only symptom of allergy that I had as a kid.
Glad you are getting it checked out. It's probably nothing and it may just be his heart beating but he could have an arithymia (spelling??). I do have an irregular heartbeat and that was not caught until I was older. Sometimes I can feel it 'skip a beat' and maybe this is what he is feeling?
