Sinus Arrhythmia in Children

An arrhythmia, also referred to as dysrhythmias, is an irregular heart rhythm that may occur at any age. In children, the symptoms may not present themselves and the condition is diagnosed at a routine physical examination. Sinus arrhythmia in children is one type of arrhythmia and is not considered serious, however other arrhythmia conditions are. A child should be examined if any symptoms of an arrhythmia appear to rule out other problems.

Identification

• Sinus arrhythmia in children is when the heart has an abnormal rhythm or heart beat while the child is breathing. While sinus arrhythmia is considered normal in children, it is not in adults. The heart will speed up while the child inhales and slows down when exhaling. During diagnosis, a child will be tested for other arrhythmia problems that are symptoms of a more serious problem and the lack of blood flow is damaging to other body parts.

Symptoms

• The main symptom for a child with sinus arrhythmia is a rapid heartbeat when the child breathes in. This condition may cause a lightheaded or dizzy feeling. Shortness of breath, a pale skin tone, and low blood pressure may also occur in the child. Some children will experience chest pain or have excess sweating from the condition.

Cause

• Sinus arrhythmia is a temporary arrhythmia that occurs in a child who is under a stressful condition, which includes exercise. There are several causes of an arrhythmia. An arrhythmia occurs when contractions in the heart do not allow the lower chambers to fill with enough blood because the heart is pumping too fast. Another cause is the heart does not pump fast enough, or is irregular, so the proper amount of blood is not pumped out.

Diagnosis

• Since the symptoms of sinus arrhythmia resemble those of more serious conditions, it is best to contact a physician for examination and diagnosis of the problem. A child that has one or more symptoms of sinus arrhythmia will undergo an EKG test to monitor electrical activity changes in the heart. This test must be completed in a hospital or clinic by a trained professional.

Treatment

• A sinus arrhythmia is often temporary in children, so treatment involves finding the cause of stress on the child and replacing it with lifestyle changes. If stress occurs in the household, a family exercise plan for stress reduction and possible family counseling is prescribed. Caffeine stresses the body of children and should be eliminated from a child's diet. In some cases a medication treatment is prescribed, however this will vary with the severity of the problem.