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Pulse Rate In Children– An Overview
The heart has a particular rhythm that keeps it healthy and enables it to function the way it is meant. However sometimes due to various reasons, the rhythm of the heart or the rate of heartbeat varies, which may indicate an underlying issue. While it is not uncommon to see the heartbeat rate fluctuate in children, if it persists for a long duration, then your child may need medical attention.
What is Normal Heart Rate in Children
The normal pulse rate for children varies as per their age. It is also known to slow down a little during sleep. Heart rate is also dependent on the activity of the kid. If your child has been physically active right before taking pulse rate then it is bound to be a little higher. Overall health and emotional state of the child may also contribute to the pulse rate of your child.
Below is a chart of normal heart rate for kids of various ages:
Age
Rate while awake
(beat per minute)
Rate while sleeping
(beat per minute)
under 28 days
100-205
90-160
1 month to 1 year
100-190
90-160
1 to 2 years
98-140
80-120
3 to 5 years
80-120
65-100
6 to11 years
75-118
58-90
12-15 years
60-100
50-90
What is Arrhythmia?
Arrhythmia is an irregularity in the rhythm of the heart. It is caused due to an abnormality of the electrical signals that control contractions of the heart muscles. The occurrence of certain kinds of arrhythmia in children is usually no cause for concern and may not require medical care.
A change in heart rate is normal in children based on the activity they engage in. But if it is found that the heart rate of the child doesn’t correlate with the activity and is too high or too low for the activity being performed, then it may be wise to seek a diagnosis from a doctor.
Who is at a Risk of Developing Arrhythmia?
An arrhythmia may be prevalent in children who are suffering from congenital heart diseases, are born with narrow hearts or any other heart conditions. Infections, diabetes and sleep apnea can cause damage to the muscles around the heart which may also put such kids at a risk of developing an arrhythmia. Also, if your kid has had heart surgeries, is under medication or suffers from a chemical imbalance, then there may be chances of an irregular heart rate.
Types of Arrhythmia
Arrhythmia is categorized based on the variation in the heart rate. There are many types of arrhythmia, most are harmless, however, some may be life-threatening.
If the heart rate speeds up and becomes too fast it is known as Tachycardia. If it slows down considerably it is called Bradycardia. Both conditions are explained in detail below:
1. Tachycardia
Tachycardia is characterized by a faster than normal heart rate and may be caused due to an underlying heart condition, medications or some changes in the physiology. It doesn’t last long enough to cause any serious damage to the organs. There are two significant types of tachycardia.
Ventricular Tachycardia
Ventricular tachycardia originates in the ventricles or the lower chambers of the heart. These are not very common in children and might be the result of a serious heart condition.
Supraventricular Tachycardia(SVT)
Supraventricular tachycardia is triggered in both the upper(atria) and lower(ventricles) chambers of the heart. SVT causes the heart rate to go at an abnormal rate of over 220 per minute. It is also known as paroxysmal atrial tachycardia and begins and ends abruptly.
SVT may be caused due to Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome, where there is an extra pathway in the heart electrical system, which can result in tremors, dizziness, and problem breathing.
There are several types of SVT which include:
Atrioventricular Reentry Tachycardia(AVRT)
Caused due to the presence of an additional pathway because of which the electrical signals do not pass through the AV node that controls heart rate. The heart rate increases as two pathways carry electrical signals at the same time.
Atrioventricular Nodal Reentry Tachycardia(AVNRT)
This condition is similar to AVRT, but the electrical signals here pass through the AV node.
Atrial Flutter
The condition is the result of an irregular conduction circuit in the atria causing it to beat very fast. This can prevent blood from being pushed into the ventricles and prevent blood flow to the body cells.
Atrial Ectopic Tachycardia
Caused as a result of the electrical impulse being originated from a different part(an abnormal cluster of cells) than its usual origin (sinus node), it can result in the untimely contraction of the atrium and a faster heartbeat.
Junctional Ectopic Tachycardia
In this case, the impulse originates from the abnormal cluster of cells that are located near the AV node causing the ventricles to contract before they are due. This results in a faster heartbeat.
There is also a term called Sinus tachycardia which is a natural increase in the heart rate caused by physical activity or change in activity levels. Here the sinus node, which is known as the pacemaker of the heart due to its function of generating electrical impulses, shoots out faster impulses causing a spike in the heart rate.
2. Bradycardia
Bradycardia characterized by a drastic drop in the heart rate of the child, in most cases, below 50 beats per minute. This can be due to faulty electrical circuits or can indicate that the sinus node isn’t functioning in the supposed manner. In some cases, since the heart rate drops quite low, the heart will not be able to pump blood into the cells causing a deficiency that may result in life-threatening situations.
Causes of an Irregular Heartbeat
Irregular heartbeat is caused by various reasons including heart conditions like congenital heart disease, chemical imbalances in the body, any kind of trauma to the chest, heart surgery, fever or infections. It can also be due to cardiomyopathy which is the disease of the muscles of the heart.
Signs and Symptoms of an Abnormal Heart Rate
Recognizing the signs and symptoms of an abnormal heart rate is important, especially for younger children who will not be able to communicate what they feel. Amongst infants and toddlers, it may be visible as irritability, paleness, and lack of interest in eating. Older children may be able to tell you if they feel dizzy or feel like their heart has skipped a beat. Some of the common symptoms of an irregular pulse rate are
Dizziness
Weakness or fatigue
Tremors
Chest pain
Fainting
Sweating
Irritability and paleness in infants
Shortness of breath
Diagnosis
Doctors use various methods to diagnose an abnormality in the heart rate of the child. It is important that you provide the doctor with your child’s medical history so that the doctor can evaluate it and conduct a physical exam to determine whether a further test is necessary.
Some of the tests that the doctor may perform include:
Electrocardiogram(ECG)
This test measures the electrical activity of your child’s heart. It is painless and can be done in as a resting ECG or an exercise ECG. A resting ECG measures the heart when your child is resting, preferably lying down. An exercise ECG measures the child’s heart rate during an activity like walking or running on a treadmill.
Holter Monitor
This is an ECG test that is done over a period of 24 hours or more. The ECG electrodes and attached to the chest of the child and the measurements are taken using a portable recorder. The child is encouraged to engage in normal daily activities. Care should be taken to keep the electrodes from getting wet for the duration of the test.
Holter monitoring includes two kinds of test
Continuous monitoring where the ECG is being recorded for the entire duration.
Event monitoring where the ECG is recorded when an abnormal heart rate is detected.
Electrophysiology Study
In this invasive test, a catheter is inserted into the blood vessel of the child that leads to the heart through the arms or the legs. This helps to determine the origin of arrhythmia in the heart and choose relevant treatments methods.
Tilt Table Test
Tilt table test is recommended for children who have instances of fainting that is caused by irregular heart rate. The test measures the variations in heart rate, oxygen supply, and blood pressure in the child during a change in his or her position, like sitting, lying down and standing.
Some doctors may also suggest a chest X-ray, MRI or blood tests for your child if required.
Treatment
The treatment for arrhythmia is based on the age of the child, the type of arrhythmia, the symptoms experienced and the frequency of its occurrence. Some of the common courses of treatment include
Medicines: Anti-arrhythmic medications are prescribed to the child based on the condition and the age to correct an abnormal heart rate.
Pacemakers: These devices that mimic the electrical signals produced by the sinus node and implanted into the child’s body to regulate heart rate effectively. They are surgically implanted, usually near the collarbone.
Defibrillator: An implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), is inserted near the collarbone with wired running from it to the heart. When an abnormal heart rate is detected, the device restores it to a normal heart rate.
Catheter Ablation: The procedure involves the insertion of a catheter through a blood vessel in the leg or the arm that leads to the heart. It detects and narrows down the area of the heart where the irregularity is generated and freezes or destroys those defective cells.
Surgery: If all other options do not give results, a surgery is recommended where the child is put under anaesthesia and the tissue causing the arrhythmia is surgically removed.
When and How to Check your Child's Pulse Rate?
It is good to have an idea of how to check your child’s pulse rate for emergencies. If your child has a heart condition, your doctor may already have instructed you on the ways to check the pulse. However, even if your child doesn’t have a heart condition, it is good to know how to check the pulse rate when your child has,
Pain in the chest
Tremors
Turns pale of blue suddenly
Shortness of breath
You may follow the steps below to check your child’s pulse rate
Know the pulse points: The points where the artery is closest to the skin like the neck and the wrist and the best pulse points.
Make sure that your child is rested for at least 10 minutes before taking the pulse rate.
Place your index and middle finger together on the pulse point at the wrist to feel the pulse.
Count the total number of beats for 15 seconds.
Multiply the total number of beats by 4 to get the pulse rate.
Avoid using your thumb to feel the pulse as the thumb also has a pulse point.
How to Take Care of your Child
If your child is diagnosed with arrhythmia it is important that you follow a strict routine to take care of his or her health.
Take your child to the doctor for check-ups regularly.
Check the pulse rate frequently.
Follow a healthy diet with low cholesterol and fat for a healthy heart
Ensure that your child exercises regularly to regulate heart rate.
Keep track of the developments in treatment for arrhythmia.
When to Consult a Doctor
Most children have irregular heart rate after intense physical activity. However, if you notice fast heart rate in your child that does not correlate with the activity, you will need to consult a doctor to avoid complications later on.
Children usually tend to engage in a lot of physical activity which may cause variations in the heart rate. It is important to be well informed about the symptoms to recognize when you need to seek help for irregular heart rate in your child. Read more
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Your Baby This Week : 20 Month Week 4 Old
“Yep, toddler tantrums are real and you know this all too well! Don’t let your kids unpredictable behavior keep you from enjoying an occasional meal out. Treat yourself every now and then! Choose a family-friendly restaurant, a place with a kids menu, crayons and paper, and ione that is oud enough to drown out the squeals and squeaks. Bring a few small toys, and snacks (crackers, cubes of cheese, cut-up fruit) to keep your child occupied. These will buy you enough time to enjoy the most out of your meal. “
Read more
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Teaching Your Toddler to Use Scissors
As an introduction to cutting, get home toddler safety scissors. The dull edges of this scissor will minimize the risk of cuts to your little user. Hand hold your child through the process till she starts working with scissors independently.
Cutting with a scissor requires certain finger separation skills, which children master only by the age of six. Of course, it's good to start early , as it helps in building motor skills. Here’s our take on teaching children to hold and use scissors.
Tricks for Teaching a 3-Year-Old to Use Scissors
1. Finding The Right Scissors
Invest in beginner scissors, which are spring loaded.It's easy to manipulate the pair by using her whole hand and not just the fingers. It doesn’t matter at what age toddlers start using scissors, once they are comfortable with these adaptive scissors they can be introduced to other types of advanced scissors soon. Here, it's essential to consider whether your child is right handed or left handed. Make sure to get a pair specifically designed for their needs.
2. Hold it Right
It's important for a child cutting with scissors to get the right grip. Show your kids how you hold the scissors correctly and encourage them to copy you. They might not get it right the first few times. Explain how the thumb needs to be put into the smaller hole, and the index and middle finger into the bigger hole. Ask her to open and close the scissors. This is essential for building the necessary strength and coordination to work with this cutting instrument.
3. Cut Lines and Shapes
Draw thick lines on a paper and teach your child to cut along the line. This will teach her better scissor control. Once you feel your child is comfortable cutting along the lines on paper, start introducing shapes. Draw circles, squares, triangles etc., and show how to cut them neatly. Remember to get thick paper for such beginner cutting activities. Continue to practice cutting with scissors for kids and watch your child master this skill soon.
4. Go Snip Snip!
Once your child has a fair understanding of how to operate a scissor, teach her how to make fringes. These are formed when you continuously snip, without cutting the paper into half. Fringe cutting helps in improved hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and bilateral coordination in children. Therein, lies the biggest benefits of scissor cutting skills in toddlers.
5. Safety Rules
While organising cutting activities for toddlers remember to teach them about the safety rules of working with a scissor. Tell her that she can use scissors only during craft hours for cutting paper and not at any other time. Encourage her to use scissors, only when there is an adult around. Don’t forget to tell her that she is not supposed to run or chase anyone with scissors in hand.
So, if you've been wondering how to teach a child to use scissors, there you go! Don’t worry, if she’s a messy cutter to begin with, just help her develop fine motor skills and keep broadening her creative horizon. Read more
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Breaking the Glass Ceiling for Women at Work
In the corporate world, women may constantly have to face discrimination and restrictive situations. Men may fill the most important managerial positions, while women are relegated to secretarial and administrative work. Sounds unfair? It sure is!
Over time, women have come a long way in establishing themselves as significant members of both the society and the corporate world. However, in many workplaces, deserving women continue to play secondary roles in comparison to their male counterparts. This glass ceiling effect, or the hindrances to a woman's struggle to climb up the corporate ladder, can be difficult to break. Figuring out the main obstacles you may face in the workplace can help you tackle the situation better.
Kinds of Glass Ceiling for Women
1. The Stereotypes
Women are often subject to crude stereotypes at the workplace. She is the stylish receptionist or the efficient administrator, for instance. Men may occupy top positions in corporate workplaces because they are perceived to be ruthless or those who can get the job done.
2. Unequal Pay
Pay inequity between male and female workers has been the norm for quite some time now. The higher a woman climbs up the ladder, the more she has to settle for a pay package that's less than that of her male colleagues.
3. Childbirth
When women go on a maternity leave or are busy starting a family, they are often relegated to the sidelines upon their return. It becomes difficult for a woman to return to her previous employment level because of the leave of absence. This prevents her from climbing up the corporate ladder.
4. Power and Sex
Women at the workplace are often seen as sexual objects who aren't capable of doing much. If you reach a top position, there will always be some tongues wagging about! Women can also face the hard situation of being propositioned by their male bosses – sex for a chance to be powerful. It becomes difficult to make their way through the ranks in light of the glaring disparity. This is one of the main barriers for women at the workplace.
5. Family Ties
A woman has her family's well-being at the top of her priority list, often above or at par with her career. When time comes for a big promotion, she is often not considered because the decision makers feel she would not be able to cope with the added responsibilities of her profession. Having a family to take care of can often cost you a chance for professional growth.
Dealing with The Glass Ceiling
If you are being subjected to a glass ceiling at work, don't feel marginalised. The following tips can help you overcome the discrimination and take giant strides ahead in your professional career:
1. Take inspiration from the best
There is no dearth of career women who have made it to the very top rung of their organization. There's Anna Wintour, the boss with the iron fist who steered Vogue, the largest fashion magazine in the world to unimaginable heights. India too has women heading top organisations, right from Chanda Kochhar, the managing director and CEO of ICICI Bank to Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, the chairman and managing director of Biocon Limited.
2. Put your foot down
It may sometimes be imperative to take a tough call at work, say no to an inappropriate demand or understand when a relationship with your company has gone beyond repair. Don't hesitate from taking the tough calls if need be.
3. Make yourself heard
Believe that you are capable of dissolving stereotypes and eventually breaking the glass ceiling. While it may be your nature to be empathetic and easy-going, it may sometimes be crucial to be vocal, articulate and unbending.
Things are slowly changing when it comes to the glass ceiling for women. The change can be witnessed in professions across the spectrum - from the Women's Tennis Association that pays women tennis players at par with male tennis professionals, to corporate setups in metros. Rest assured that a change in attitude is indeed materialising and will go a long way in breaking down this glass ceiling for women in the workplace. Read more
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Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
5 hours ago
Q. hi have one question
LT 10x18mm and RT 18x20mm and ET 6.5
what it mean??? and should I start intercourse
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
4 hours ago
A. since you are right follicle is 18 mm yes of course you can start with your intercourse for conception as in 1 to 2 days
their maybe rupture of the follicle by which your sperm should be present there for conception
Dr Ghouse has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
4 hours ago
Q. #asktheexpert
why baby vomit
Dr Ghouse
Paediatrician
4 hours ago
A. for babies less than 6 months may not be a problem. small babies will be having lot of gas because of various reasons it is advisable to do burping of the baby immediately after feeding please give colimex DF drops to the baby they are safe
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 1 month
4 hours ago
Q. i am 35 weeks 3 days pregnant... my ultrasound report shows that "fl and hl are shorter compared to bpd"... is this anything to worry
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
7 mins ago
A. You should have proper consultation with your treating doctor , as some examination or investigations may be needful, so that proper medications can be given And the treatment can be done very properly.
needs proper follow-up for this
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
4 hours ago
Q. I am 9 week pregnant and I have runny nose very badly can I use cetirizine tablet?
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
7 mins ago
A. use nasal drops , that acts faster .
You should have proper consultation with your treating doctor , as some examination or investigations may be needful, so that proper medications can be given And the treatment can be done very properly.
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
4 hours ago
Q. hi,
my LT 10x18mm and RT 18x20mm and ET 6.5 , what if I intercourse after 2 days, can I do intercourse in ovulation day can become a pregent .
on ovulation day if we intercourse can become a pregent..pls advice..
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
6 mins ago
A. since the follicle size is 18 to 20 mm your ovulation may occur within 24 hours also so if you have intercourse with in that time it will be more effective to get conceived
your endometrial growth is not good enough for conception but still you can just try
Sai Prasanthi R L has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
3 hours ago
Q. Hlw dr its my 6th month pregnency can i intimate with my partner
Sai Prasanthi R L
Mom of a 10 yr 2 m old boy
2 hours ago
A. Hello dear! If your pregnancy is going on fine without any high risk factors then it’s okay. Still, would advise you to check with your doctor once before going further. Maintain a good personal hygiene routine and a healthy lifestyle
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