Toddler with possible abnormal heart rhythm

On some occasions i've had to sleep with my daughter of 2 and a half because she would have had a bad dream - i just did so again tonight and while i had my head on the pillow she pushed her back against my ear and i was listening to her heartbeat. i distinctly, very very clearly, heard a steady triple beat ("thud-thud-thud, thud-thud-thud") - she's a happy child and shows no health problems, however i want to know if this is normal before running off in a panic to my MD...!

[Brooke_38]

Hello...

What I suspect that you may be hearing is what's termed the S3 heart sound. This occurs when the ventricles are resistant to filling during the early filling phase. This sound occurs immediately after the S2, when the AV valves open and the blood from the Atria pour into the Ventricles.

The S3 heart sound is a soft, low pitched sound.  An S3 sound may be normal (physiologic) or abnormal (pathologic).  The physiologic S3 is sometimes heard in
children and young adults and usually disappears when in a sitting position.

I don't think that your child is in immediate danger but you may want to make mention of this at her next well child visit.

Hope this helps shed some insight to what may be occuring:)