Bradycardia in a child affects the quality of life of him and his parents, prevents the baby from developing normally and communicating with other children. Supervision by a cardiologist is necessary. An undetected disease in time, if it is in serious form, is fraught with death.
Signs of the disease and causes
Bradycardia is characterized by a decreased heart rate. Throughout life, the number of beats per minute changes. For infants, 100-140 beats per minute is considered the normal rate of contraction, after a year the heart rate changes, and up to 120 beats are considered normal per minute. By the age of 3, normal heart contractions amount to about 115 beats per minute, and in adolescence no higher than 100. There are individual characteristics of the heart rhythm, depending on the complexion, weight and children's temperament.
Most often, a child's bradycardia occurs in connection with the pathology of the myocardium, due to which the tone of the vagus nerve is significantly increased . In most cases, with this disease, impulses are impaired by the sinus node - this type of disease is called sinus bradycardia.
There is another type of disease - heterotropic, in which the myocardial conduction system is disturbed. In children, it is quite rare.
Moderate bradycardia in children can be either congenital or acquired. May occur for a short period in the cold season, with long walks. The heart rate with this form of the disease slows down as you exhale.
The disease may appear :
- during cerebrovascular accident in infants and in the prenatal period in the presence of hypoxia;
- due to congenital heart disease;
- with diseases of the nervous system and severe hypothermia;
- as an allergic reaction to intoxication with the use of drugs or substances that affect the activity of the cardiovascular system;
- as a consequence of past infections.
Bradycardia in a child in adolescence is sometimes detected during intensive growth. Adolescents are prone to neurosis, mood swings, the restructuring of the endocrine system does not always keep pace with the increase in internal organs. Metabolic processes are disturbed in the body, and the consequence is a slowdown in heart rhythm.
Symptoms of the disease :
- fast fatiguability;
- inability to concentrate;
- frequent fainting;
- shortness of breath with uncomplicated physical effort;
- poor appetite, general lethargy;
- pressure surges;
- behind the sternum, periodic pain may occur.
Bradycardia treatment
If bradycardia is detected in a child, then initially it is necessary to determine its cause and stage of the disease. Drug therapy in each case is selected individually.
Congenital bradycardia, if surgery is not required, is most often corrected with substances that normalize oxygen metabolism.
As special periods of body restructuring, a preschooler allocates time from 3 to 5 years. This period is the first period of the active development of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Bradycardia in a 3-year-old child can occur due to the formation of deep breathing. A similar manifestation of the disease is considered physiological and does not require drug therapy. It is enough to create comfortable conditions for the child and relieve nervous tension.
The same advice can be given in the treatment of symptomatic bradycardia in adolescents. Most often, treatment is not required, the child outgrows itself. If within 2 years the body has not recovered after hormonal adjustment, then treatment by a cardiologist is required.