A heart murmur is an extra or abnormal sound that happens when the heart pumps blood. Your child's healthcare provider can hear the murmur when listening to your child's heart with a stethoscope. Heart murmurs are common in children, and are most often a normal part of their growth. At some point, just about every child will have a heart murmur. A heart murmur usually doesn't mean that your child has a serious health issue. But in rare cases, a heart murmur can be a sign of a serious condition. That's why it's important for your child to see a cardiologist. A cardiologist can find out if your child's murmur is caused by a problem in his or her heart, or if it's nothing to worry about.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a problem with the heart muscle. It may not cause symptoms that bother your child. But it can lead to serious problems over time. The good news is that it can usually be managed.
Your Child's Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome (HLHS)
With hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the left side of the heart didn't develop correctly. Surgery is needed to repair this congenital heart defect. Read on to learn more.
Aortic stenosis means your child has a heart valve that is too narrow or is blocked. The aortic valve is 1 of 4 heart valves that keep blood flowing through the heart. The valves make sure blood flows in only one direction. The aortic valve keeps blood flowing from the left ventricle to the aorta.
