I took my son to the Dr yesterday, she said she heard a soft murmurr.?

Question

She said it sounded like a possible hole in his heart. She has set him up with a pediactric cardilogist. Everyone has told me this is common and I shouldn't worry, but I cant help it. Any suggestions.

Answer 1

My son was born with a heart murmur.  It is a PFO (patent foramen ovale, a hole in the heart).  25% of adults have this.  He saw the cardiologist once at 6 months.  The cardiologist did a test in the NICU, and at 6 months.  I can't recall the name but it was like an ultrasound.  Their was a monitor, and a probe covered with jelly placed on the outside of his chest and several pictures were taken.  The PFO did get smaller but didn't close.  He said it may close by age 2, but many people have it and we don't need to check it again.  The cardiologist says it is fine, there is no treatment for it.  Just be on the lookout if someday you hear treatment for a PFO, then look into it.  In later life this type of hole in the heart (PFO) can increase the chances of migraine headaches and increase the chances of pulmonary hypertension.  My grandfather has pulmonary hypertension.  He gets breathing treatments and takes some meds.  He did not begin taking meds for this until 80 yrs old.  I do not know if it is because he has a PFO, anyways he is 88 years old.

Answer 2

Its quite common in young children, and my father's 57 years old and had a heart murmur all his life, and has lived a healthy and normal one. Holes in hearts, for a lot of young children, tend to heal themselves, and if they don't its normally only quick, keyhole surgery to fix.

Answer 3

i have a it too... its just a small hole in my heart and the drs arnt concerned. as long as he gets his check ups it ok..... i found out i had one 4 years ago.. no problems

Answer 4

They just come and go.  You would hear it in my checkup but not in the next.  Should just check it out to be on the safe side.

Answer 5

I  just went thru this same thing.  My son (now 16 mons) had a slight murmur at birth.  They have monitored it at every visit.  Up until his 9 month, they didn't hear it but then she did and sent us to a ped cardiologist.  They do an EKG and the dr listens and in my case, it was benign.  They are very common but depending on the sounds and pitch of what they hear, they can tell if it needs further attention.  The cardiologist also asked me questions like was my baby short of breath or lethargic or seem tired a lot.  

You don't say how old your baby is but if you have been taking him regularly for well child visits, and this is the first they heard it, then whatever it is has been caught and can be treated.   Don't panic and think about how lucky it is that they can find this before he has any problems.