Newborn with heart murmur

I took my 2 week old daughter to her 2 week check-up with her doctor and was told she had a heart murmur.  The murmur was not picked up at the hospital.  The murmur is only heard on the left side, but can be heard from the back and side as well and they said it was loud.  The doctor also said that it was only heard on the systolic cycle.  She has never been blue in her lips, she has a pulse in the femoral arteries and she eats fine.  She has gained almost a pound since birth and grown 3/4 of an inch.  They are sending her to a specialist, but I'm still really scared.  Is there anything I should be worrying about or is she probably fine?

[Marie M Gleason, M.D.]

Heart murmurs are common in young children.  If your child is gaining weight well, has good pulses in the legs and is comfortable, then this will likely be either a small hole in the wall between the lower heart chambers (VSD) or a murmur of blood flow across normal heart valves or blood vessels (flow murmur).  Neither of these are likely to require any intervention.  Although every good parent is concerned about such news, I would suggest that you wait for the cardiology evaluation and discuss the results with the specialist.  It sounds like you have a stable, healthy baby.

[mshanson]

A murmur can be caused by many things, one of the most common is a "hole in the heart", either an ASD or a VSD. They're very common, and this could likely be the cause. How soon is she seeing the specialist?

[CHELLETO6DOGS]

First of all congratulation on your little bundle of joy...I know how scary this time is for you and your baby.. sounds like she is stable so far, if she is thriving, meaning gaining weight and not seeming to be in any distress.... I don't know what the murmur means.. my brother as well as 2 of my boys had innocent murmurs meaning harmless... my 4th son his murmur wasn't so innocent and required surgery...
when you take her to the specialist and they do confirm she has a hole in her heart, it could close on its own.. they may tell you in about a year, but it may close earlier or sometimes take longer then planned, and that is okay too... I am saying that as I know a few people who are upset that their doctor told them that the child's hole should close by the time 6 months of age and it wasn't it took a few months more.. as long as they are thriving they should be okay...sometimes they don't close at all, I am 40 and still have a hole...
Good luck and enjoy your new daughter...
Michelle

[callie_chelle]

She is seeing a specialist next month, I think.  Thanks for the information.  It calms my nerves some.

[CHELLETO6DOGS]

Hi again
Just to let you know, you will always have that "fear" in you about your daughter, it is normal and always go with your gut instinct..
now for a suggestion as I am not sure if this is your first baby or not, but make sure you write down all of your questions for her doctor.. i have always said oh I will remember them but then you get in there and start talking and sometimes for get.. and remember NO QUESTION IS A STUPID QUESTION..
Good luck and please let me know what her doctor said.. hope you can bring an extra set of ears with you sometimes information can be over whelming and an extra set of ears always come in handy
Michelle

[callie_chelle]

This is my second child, but I feel like it's my first all over again.  I'm still VERY protective of her and worry about any little thing.

Her appointment is January 19.  I took your advice and my dad is going with me for a second set of ears.