What Is a Heart Murmur?
Heart murmurs in children are a sound heard by stethoscope as the blood goes through the heart. The heart has four chambers that pump blood through the body.
The heartbeat is the sound of these chambers opening and closing. A heart murmur is an extra sound that your child’s doctor can hear with a stethoscope. Heart murmurs are most times harmless in children or a sign of heart disease.
Are Heart Murmurs in Children and Newborns Normal?
Most heart murmurs in newborns and children are normal. Using a stethoscope, pediatricians can hear blood passing through the heart chambers. These are called “innocent” heart murmurs and are not cause for concern.
About 80% of healthy children will have an innocent heart murmur at some point, according to the American Family Physician.
Some heart murmurs may be a sign of a more serious underlying heart condition.
Your child’s pediatrician or cardiologist will be able to determine if it’s serious by listening to their heart.
Causes & Risk Factors of Heart Murmurs
Heart murmurs are the sound of blood flowing through the heart chambers. Innocent heart murmurs aren’t cause for concern and often occur in perfectly healthy children and babies.
Studies show that children may be at higher risk for heart murmurs if they or their family have:
- Family history of sudden cardiac death or congenital heart disease
- Exposure to certain medications or alcohol as a fetus
- History of rheumatic fever or Kawasaki disease
- Genetic disorders
Can an Innocent Heart Murmur Become Serious if Left Untreated?
No. The heart is normal in children with an innocent murmur. Innocent heart murmurs are not cause for concern and do not require treatment. Children usually grow out of these heart murmurs as they get older.
Diagnosing Heart Murmurs & Next Steps
If your child’s pediatrician hears a heart murmur with their stethoscope, they may refer you to a pediatric cardiologist. Pediatric cardiologists specialize in treating children’s heart conditions and will be able to tell you if the heart murmur is cause for concern.
The pediatric cardiologist will listen to your child’s heart, ask about family history of heart disease and may order some tests. To be certain the murmur is innocent, they may order tests including:
- Electrocardiogram (EKG)
- Chest X-ray
- Echocardiogram (ECHO)
Once the tests confirm that the murmur is innocent, a follow-up visit is not necessary.
If Your Child Has an Innocent Heart Murmur
Don't worry if you’ve been told your child has an innocent murmur. There is nothing wrong with their heart. Children with innocent murmurs don’t have heart disease and should be as active as all other healthy children.
Children’s Cardiology at University Health
Learn more about children’s heart care at University Health on our website.
