WWYD? possible heart murmer in dd3

[Tap]

DD3 has been to several doctors in her young years for various illness. 3 different doctors have commented that they hear a quiet heart murmur, but other doctors do not hear it. None of them have been alarmed by it, more of a tone like what you would expect from 'oh, she has a birthmark'. One doctor, who could hear it, called another doctor into the room as a second opinion. The second doctor said that the didn't hear it. They tossed some medical jargon around, and agreed there was no murmur. Then they gave me a long forgotten medical reason for the sound the first doctor heard.

 

We have switched doctors again into a new practice who has none of the old notes, and now my new pediatrician hears a 'quiet murmur'. When he first mentioned it, I just dismissed it as another misdiagnosis (mentally going back to the 2 doctors who agreed-no murmur), but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if she does in fact have one.

 

Since I have had so many discrepancies, I wonder how I could go about getting a final and true answer. Or should I just let it go, since even the doctors who do 'hear it' don't seem concerned anyways.

 

I called my old peds office and asked the nurse to check the charts to see if there was any mention of the two doctor's diagnosis, (who both agreed the murmur wasn't present). She says there is no mention of a murmur or any heart related issues in any exams. This child has seen at least 10 doctors over the years at that clinic and the records are computerized, so searching is pretty easy. She was a sick little girl when we first got her at 5mo. We are part of a large clinic that allows you to see whoever is available if you want an appointment ASAP...and with her, we did. Only 3 doctors ever mentioned it.

 

She has state insurance so getting into a specialist like a peds cardio isn't likely for something like this.

 

WWYD?

[Mrs Mungo]

Heart murmurs are extremely common. I have one and so does my husband. In my husband's case the valve that lets blood out of his heart stays closed a fraction longer than normal. Most murmurs are "innocent" murmurs, they won't cause problems, there is no reason to worry about them. Every doctor who has ever listened to my heart says "oh, did you know you have a heart murmur?" It's apparently quite obvious, but, it's never caused me any kind of problems. If it was one of the more severe type of murmurs there would be no question, every doctor would hear it. So, I wouldn't worry about it.

[Classical Beginnings OR]

My son's pediatrician discovered that he had a heart murmur when he was two. She wasn't too concerned about it; but sent us to a pediatric cardiologist just to be sure it wasn't anything more. (I'm a worrier, so I think she did it just to help me feel better about it.) The cardiologist examined my son and said the same thing. Heart murmurs are fairly common in children, and as they grow the murmur should become more faint. It is hereditary (my father-in-law has a heart murmur.) By the time my son turned four, the pediatrician and cardiologist could not hear the murmur any longer.

 

I think if your child's pediatrician feels it is nothing to worry about, then I think you shouldn't worry. I am sure he/she would speak up if they felt it was something more serious.

[lilbean05]

I echo what the other ladies have said. My daughter was diagnosed with an innocent heart murmur. She has seen a variety of doctors (military moves us, so it is a by product of relocating all the time) and only 2 of the docs have heard it. They sent us to a pediatric cardiologist, which is where they confirmed it was innocent. Perhaps you can go to a cardiologist if it really worries you?

[Alice]

Murmurs in kids are extremely common and usually innocent. Innocent murmurs can be hard to hear or can come and go, which may explain why some have heard it and some haven't. If you are worried though, ask your doc for a referral to a cardiologist, they might also be able to just order an Echocardiogram (some hospitals will do it without a cardiologist, some won't). Even with state insurance if your doc sends you I'd think it would be covered.

[happyhomemaker25]

My oldest son had one. When we first started with this Ped about three years ago I told her about it. She listened, heard it and said it was not a big deal. That he might even outgrow it. She checks every time we are there. The last time she told me she could not hear it at all.

It scared me too when they first mentioned it, but with all the reassurances I have not been worried.

[RegGuheert]

I was diagnosed with a heart murmur during an important physical at age 17. Since I needed a better result, I went to a private physician and he gave me a clean bill of health. He told me at that time that he could read a heart murmur on practically anyone's EKG if he wanted to, but he didn't think there was any problem with my heart. So far it's still ticking! ;)

[kalanamak]

 

Since I have had so many discrepancies, I wonder how I could go about getting a final and true answer. Or should I just let it go, since even the doctors who do 'hear it' don't seem concerned anyways.

 

 

Murmurs can come and go depending on the cardiac output (think how quiet a small stream is, and how noisy it gets with flooding). A little nervous? Output goes up. Just run up the hall and jumped on the table? Output goes up. So the on and off is not a worry in this situation.

 

Millions of people have murmurs. The majority are innocent. At this age (not old) and not progressing and without symptoms, I personally would let it go. But, history rheumatic fever, unexplained fainting, chest pains, etc. that is a different matter.

[Remudamom]

My little brother had one, I think he outgrew it?

[mamato3 all-boy boys]

DS1 had a silent heart murmur diagnosed at age 2. He did end up seeing a pediatric cardiologist. They hooked him up to an ECG machine for a reading, listened to his heart for all of 10 seconds, said he had a benign heart murmur that he'd outgrow and that was it.

 

My guess is that if she has a heart murmur, it is of a similar type. Like pp, they are common and often go undiagnosed - because a lot of drs. don't catch it. Since that diagnosis at 2, it has been heard 1 other time (when he was probably 3 ish), and not since (and trust me, I used to ask about it a lot just to be sure).

[AnitaMcC]

We have switched doctors again into a new practice who has none of the old notes, and now my new pediatrician hears a 'quiet murmur'. When he first mentioned it, I just dismissed it as another misdiagnosis (mentally going back to the 2 doctors who agreed-no murmur), but the more I think about it, the more I wonder if she does in fact have one.

 

Since I have had so many discrepancies, I wonder how I could go about getting a final and true answer. Or should I just let it go, since even the doctors who do 'hear it' don't seem concerned anyways.

 

WWYD?

 

I wouldn't worry too much about it as it sounds like something like I have and two of my kids have. But I would get it checked out by a cardiologist.

 

My heart murmur is like your Dd's... some hear it and some don't. I have had it since birth and the first I knew about it was when I was joining the Navy. I still passed the physical exam... since the murmur wasn't always heard and I had no symptoms of any problems at all and in great health.

 

But in my pregnancy with my twins (in my mid 20's) it got more pronounced and my doctor wanted it thoroughly checked out. It was found that I had a tiny hole in my atrial septum (divider between upper heart chambers). It isn't a major concern, but something that is watched as when getting older it can become an concern. I have other heart issues too though.

 

My Dd and Ds#2 has a heart murmur also. They say a cardio and no other problems found and so nothing needed to be done.

[ChristusG]

Sounds like me. I've had a few doctors tell me that they hear a heart murmur. Then, another time, they do not hear it. I've even had an echocardiogram done to check it out and all is well. It didn't even show up on there.

[kpupg]

WWYD?

 

Well, I won't answer that question, but I will tell you what happened in our family. FWIW.

 

Our dd had a heart murmur that some docs heard and some didn't -- from about the age your dd is until she was diagnosed with a large ASD at age 7. She had open-heart surgery 2 months later.

 

We had no clue. All along, the docs that heard the murmur told us "don't worry about it." So we didn't. Then one day, her doc said that she had had that murmur for awhile and he wanted it checked out. So we took her for an echocardiogram and got the punch in the stomach that evening.

 

So when docs or other people say "it's probably nothing," well it probably is nothing. But if it's not nothing, it will be hell. Just saying.

 

Knowing what I know now, I would ask one of the docs to send you for an echo. That will tell you whether it's something to prepare for or not. But that's because for our daughter, it wasn't nothing. Some people just hit the lottery, I guess.

 

Prayers,

Karen

[ereks mom]

The doctor called it a "functional" heart murmur and said I should outgrow it. I didn't. Every doctor I've seen since then has remarked about it, and none seemed to think it was unusual. However, when dh & I were first married, my OB/GYN suggested that before dh & I started our family, I should see a cardiologist just to make sure it was nothing to be concerned about. I did see a cardiologist, who gave me a card to carry around with me; it states that I have mitral valve prolapse and that I should receive prophylactic antibiotics after surgical procedures and dental procedures, etc. It has never caused me a problem at all.

[StartingOver]

Echoing, A severe heart murmur would be heard easily. I have had 2 children born with PDA ( sounds like a Heart Murmur). They both required medication in the NICU. I have a 3rd that was born with a PFO ( another sound of heart murmur ). She required nothing and was cleared at 2 when it closed completely. I have a grandson with a PDA - PFO there has been no treatment. The only reason we know the exact cause of our murmurs is because of a family history of LARGE murmurs.

 

The only thing I would think about with a possible murmur. Is if your child goes to have invasive work by a dentist, they will want that child to take an antibiotic before surgery. At that point, you can either get a diagnosis to confirm or deny a murmur. The test run is just like an ultrasound, and an EKG, but getting to a cardiologist is another thing.

 

I would not be concerned at all.

[ChristusG]

Actually, my dentist told me that the Dental Association (can't remember the official name) is not recommending antibiotics for people with heart murmurs anymore. That's one of the main reasons that I wanted to get mine checked out but he told me I wouldn't even need antibiotics before dental procedures. But, I got mine checked out anyways.

[StartingOver]

Actually, my dentist told me that the Dental Association (can't remember the official name) is not recommending antibiotics for people with heart murmurs anymore. That's one of the main reasons that I wanted to get mine checked out but he told me I wouldn't even need antibiotics before dental procedures. But, I got mine checked out anyways.

 

That is a new one to me, but then again it has been 2 years since I had a child have a major dental issue. My oldest daughter had to be checked, even though she was cleared at 3, because the dentist thought he heard a murmur. He was taking no chances with her history. Of course it was confirmed that she no longer had an issue.

[Tap]

Thanks everyone you have really helped to quiet my fears. It isn't something that I have really dealt with before so I don't really know what to think of it all.

 

 

I will talk to her doc about it more in the future, but for now I can relax.

 

 

Thanks,

~Tap

[Heather in the Kootenays]

Ds had a heart murmer at birth which was checked out then and several years later. It's never been a problem and he is now a very active, tall, healthy teenager.

[CalicoKat]

so we're the exception to the rule here.

 

When dh was young his doctor's found a heart murmur. They followed his case yearly with a cardiologist, echocardiogram, and stress test.

 

When he was 24 he had open heart surgery to get an artificial aortic valve. His diagnosis was aortic stenosis.

 

In his youth it never bothered him and he did whatever he wanted whenever. Surgery was a bit of a surprise as he'd been told he'd never have to have it.

 

Looking back the doc's have told us he probably had a virus that damaged his heart valve further and made surgery a necessity.

[Holly IN]

hhmmm I didn't read the response. My ds has a murmur but it is innocent. We went to a ped. Cardio at Riley for testing (lots of them). After 5 hours of testing, it was confirmed that it was innocent murmur and eventually will go away. It went away.

 

I know you said you can't get into a ped. cardio. I highly recommend trying to get into one. They know what testing to do. Just "hearing" it will not determine if it is a harmful one or innocent one. The testings needs to be done.

 

Do you have family history of murmurs? We do.

 

Holly