Those familiar with cardiac holter monitors and children

[AimeeM]

DS6's cardiologist ordered a holter monitor to monitor Nico at home for a week or so. This came after our dentist called him to get clearance for laughing gas down the road when DS has a dental prosthetic removed. Cardiologist said "no" until Nico has his upcoming echo. No problem - I needed to talk to him about a recent racing heart rate and apparent lethargy after minimal activity anyway. He called me back himself, ordered the halter, and knocked up his echo appointment to the week after next.

BUT he very explicitly stated that he did not want Nico on a full-time wired holter; he said he ordered a pediatric specific one that didn't require the wires (and said something about it playing a song while I hold it to DS' chest as per the instructions, etc).

The company that sent it, though, sent a normal wired holter. I'm familiar with these. This also requires a land-line phone... which we do not have. We have an internet based house-line and cell phones. When my husband called the company that sent it, they suggested that he drive to work to call after a heart-rate recording (because it's totally doable that DH drive 30 minutes, into another city, to use a phone - never mind that the building is secured after hours AND the company doesn't use land lines)... or ask a neighbor to use their phone (I only know one neighbor who has a land-line, and they are much older, so this isn't even possible after 7 pm or so). 

 

I called the cardio's office several days ago and received no call back. I'm going to try again today, but in the meantime, should I use this monitor or wait for the pediatric holter?

 

Is there enough of a difference between the holter sent and the one the cardio WANTED sent that I should wait? How necessary is the land-line?

 

I'm concerned that if we have to wait for the cardio to order another, it's going to be lost in transit (we're moving in two days), but if we wait until we're in the new house, it may be later than the cardio wants the data (he wants to see the data before DS' already-scheduled appointment).

[Butter]

My daughter has an event monitor on right now.  It came with a cell phone (blackberry) that automatically transmits her strips.  I can't figure out why a landline would specifically be necessary.  She was actually supposed to get the pediatric one, too (even though she is 15), but they sent the kind with three wires.  It's turned out to be a good thing because on occasion it decides on its own to send a strip because her heart did something wonky that she didn't even feel.