heart and PVC's on children

[jfols]

my daughter is 1yr. and 13 days old.  at 7 monts the doc. said she had an extra heart beat evrery 3rd beat, AKA  PVC (premature ventrical contraction) which has yet to go away. My question is what do you think they will do?  Surgery? monitor it? she is very healthy,  growing (like a weed), walking, talking, eating  etc.  just thought I would ask. Thanks for your help.

sincerely,
curious parent

[4yroldsmom]

A related discussion, Is it  aproblem if the number of PVC's increases? was started.

[Mcgc]

I wanted to let you know that I have had PVCs since I've been a young child.

They never limited any of my activities, I played several sports in high school with no problems.  Most of the time, I didn't even notice my "funky beats".

I am now 30 years old, with two healthy daughters.  I've been in for cardiac testing which is always normal (besides the PVCs, of course!)

From everythig I've learned about them, the PVCs will likely never be more than an annoyance to your daughter.  Good luck!

P.S. I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv.

[Erik36]

I want you to know that I totally sympathize with your concern for your daughter. I am 37 years old and I have had PVC's since I was a young child. It runs in my family. My mother has them and my grandmother had them. I had tests to prove my heart was healthy other than these PVC's. Morgan is so young and she probably doesn't even feel them. They will probably turn out to be harmless over the long haul, although, you should keep in touch with her Cardiologist and have her followed. Like the doctor said, there is always a possibilty of having the PVC's cured if they become a problem or turn into another arrhythmia. I have been able to control my PVC's with medication.

Please let us know how morgan makes out at her Cardiologist appt. Good luck!


Erik

[jfols]

first of all, Thanks for your reply, very helpful. In my question I didn't want to go in to much detail, but heres the situation. She has what is called pvc coming from the lower ventrical.  The way the dr. explained it to me is that there is a nerve that runs from the top of the heart to the bottom. An impulse runs through this nerve and that is what makes the heart
muscle contract.  In Morgan's case, there is an extranious impulse coming from her lower ventrical that is making the heart beat an extra beat.  It is more common in older children, and easier to diagnose the root.  They can have an older child exercise and see how it changes, but Morgan can't get on the treadmill....... yet.  We had an appointment with the pediatric cardiologist.  He did another EKG, and an ultrasound to see if there are any physical ailments of the heart, none were found.   She  also had to wear a monitor for 24 hours since she can't exercise.  Her regular Ped. Dr. said that she is not
really concerned, so I am trying to not be too concerned (getting  more and more difficult as time passes). So anyway that was back in November of "04".  tomorrow she goes back to see the pediatric cardiologist,  hopefully he will just want to monitor it, and she will grow out of it.

Again,  Thanks for your help, and a late congrats on your 1 yr. old daughter

[CCF-M.D.-MJM]

Hi curious parent,

I would be curious too and am sorry you are in this position -- but I wouldn't worry too much.

It is important that I say that I do not treat children and have not for many, many years (although I also have a one year old daughter).

If your daughter is developing normal and growing like a weed, I would not worry too much.  I would keep an eye on her heart function over time (watching for more arrhythmias and for maintaining normal heart function).  If anything changes, it is possible to go into the heart with catheters and try to determine where these extra beats are coming from and potentially fix it.  I would not do this is f she is developing normally.  Give her time and see if she grows out of it.

I hope this helps reassure you a little.  I would bet your doctor probably told you the same thing.

Good luck!