Is an extra heartbeat serious?

Is an extra heartbeat serious?

A premature heartbeat may feel like your heart skipped a beat. These extra beats are generally not concerning, and they seldom mean you have a more serious condition. Still, a premature beat can trigger a longer-lasting arrhythmia, especially in people with heart disease.

What causes irregular heartbeat in a child?

If your child has an arrhythmia, his or her heart might beat too fast or too slow, or it might skip a beat or have extra beats. An arrhythmia might result from a physical condition — such as a heart defect —or in response to outside factors, such as a fever, infection, and certain medications.

Is irregular heartbeat common in children?

If the heartbeat is too slow, not enough blood is pumped out in time for the body’s needs. Arrhythmias affect around two in every 100 children of school age.

What problems can an extra heartbeat cause?

Premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) are extra heartbeats that begin in one of the heart’s two lower pumping chambers (ventricles). These extra beats disrupt the regular heart rhythm, sometimes causing a sensation of a fluttering or a skipped beat in the chest.

How do I know if my child has heart problems?

Warning signs and symptoms of heart disease in children Shortness of breath and feeling tired or weak easily. The presence of a grayish-blue or purple color of skin e.g. lips, mucous membranes and nails. Heart palpitations, rapid heartbeats, dizziness and frequent syncope that might be caused by heart rhythm problems.

Is it normal for a 6 year old to have an irregular heartbeat?

Many children who have an irregular heartbeat don’t experience it regularly. It may only happen in response to certain situations, or it may occur occasionally or randomly. If your child can explain when they notice any irregularities, it may help the doctor to diagnose the arrhythmia.

Can anxiety cause extra heartbeats?

Heart palpitations due to anxiety feel like your heart is racing, fluttering, pounding or skipping a beat. Your heartbeat can increase in response to specific stressful situations. You may also have palpitations due to an anxiety disorder (excessive or persistent worry).