Hello, I was hoping I could get some more answers as to my son's heart issues. The last day of school 2010, he fainted at a school activity after a bunch of running around and activity. 911 was called by the principal and he had come around by the time paramedics arrived. They took his BP and gave him some oxygen and by that time, I arrived at the park (they were having a last day of school party at the park). I opted to take him to see his pediatrician instead of the hospital. They did an EKG there and told him to get lots of fluids because they said he fainted from being overheated and because he was dehydrated.
Flash forward to Oct 2010. He was laughing one evening in an unusual manner and inappropriately as there was really nothing funny. When we asked why he was laughing, he kept repeating what we said and then would laugh. My older son, 19, told him to knock it off if he was fooling around. This went on for a few minutes. I took him to the pediatrician again the next day. His doctor thought it was cardiac related and apparently in looking at his chart, found the EKG from last May. He noted that it was an abnormal reading but wasn't reported to me nor was it followed up. I really don't know how it was abnormal.
He was referred for a head CT (normal) which was done Nov 3. He finally was seen by pediatric cardiology today Nov 5. He had a stress test done. Pretest BP was 112/65. During the actual testing, his BP dropped to 80/46. They also found he had an enlarged aorta with an echo. They tried to get blood work but my son has a phobia in regard to needles and he screamed and ran out of the room.
We were told to come back in a year for follow up and he was told to eat more salt and get plenty of fluids. The enlargement was small apparently. His ADD med (concerta) was put on hold the week between the silly spell/pediatrician appt and cardiology who said he could take his ADD meds again and restart his Tae Kwon Do as well.
I have since been told by some friends (all in health care) that when there is aortic enlargement, strain and lifting weights should be avoided as well as contact sports to avoid blows to the chest. I think they said that the enlarged area can become bigger with the stress or something. They also think that even though he does not want blood drawn because he is terrified that we need to find a way to get around that and get some labs done to look at electrolytes and check for anemia. My son has not eaten meat in over a year. Eats only fruit and some yogurt and cheese. Pediatrician says he is growing and nothing to worry about, but he is very thin and I do worry about anemia.
I am left wondering if we should seek a second opinion or not. Does more testing or more frequent monitoring need to be done? Is this the same as an aneurysm? I don't want to take a chance with his health and possibly life. But I don't want to worry too much or worse, make him anxious about dying (he already was crying about that because he thought he might). Yet he admires his older brother who wrestles and lifts weights and I am afraid that at age 13, interest in lifting weights is next.
Any help appreciated.
Thanks!
This discussion is related to
leaky aortic valve and enlarged aortic root.