Hearing a heart murmur in newborn babies can be a cause of alarm to any parent. Although in most instances it is not really alarming. Most babies have what is known as an innocent or functional murmur, the sound of which is harmless. It usually takes place as the blood passes at a fast rate around the heart’s chambers and valves. These murmurs are rather typical on newborn babies and tend to vanish on their own as the child gets older. The unusual heart sound also vanishes as organs developing in the cardiovascular system matures.
Heart Murmurs: What You Need to Know
A heart murmur refers to an additional or unusual sound which a physician can hear during a beat of the heart. It is normally a whooshing or swishing sound. This sound is caused by turbulent blood flow either in the heart or in the blood vessels that surround the heart. It can be detected by the doctor when performing regular pediatric check-ups with the help of a stethoscope.
In the majority of instances, murmurs are innocuous i.e. the heart is normal, and it is performing its duties well. These wildest murmurs can be due to the baby becoming active, crying, or having a fever since these are the conditions under which the heart pumps faster.
When to Enlist Medical Help
Whereas most of the murmurs are innocent, some can be signs of an underlying heart issue. These health-related concerns include a defect of the heart at birth or an abnormality in the development of the valves.
Conclusion
As a parent, hearing heart murmur from our little ones can be frightening. However, common heart murmurs are normal and part of the cardiovascular development of the baby. Proper routine check-up and appropriate medical assistance help babies with murmurs to be strong, healthy children.
They can be proof that some extra sound in their heart still means normal.