Heart Palpitations in Children
Palpitations are sensations of a fast, fluttering, or irregular heartbeat. While often alarming to families, most palpitations in children are benign — but the right evaluation tells us for certain.
What Are Palpitations?
Palpitations describe an awareness of the heartbeat — often described as the heart racing, fluttering, pounding, or skipping. They can last seconds to minutes and may come and go without warning.
What Causes Palpitations?
Common causes include benign premature beats (PACs or PVCs), supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), anxiety, caffeine, dehydration, anemia, and thyroid abnormalities. Less commonly, palpitations can reflect more significant arrhythmias.
When Should Palpitations Be Evaluated?
We recommend evaluation if palpitations are frequent, last more than a few minutes, occur with exercise, are accompanied by dizziness or chest pain, or if there is a family history of arrhythmia or sudden cardiac events.
What to Expect at Your Visit
We review your child's complete history, including when episodes occur and how they feel. Testing often includes an EKG and may include a Holter monitor (worn at home for 24–48 hours) or an event recorder to capture episodes in real time.
Are Palpitations Dangerous?
Most palpitations in children are benign and do not indicate serious heart disease. However, some arrhythmias do require treatment. The goal of evaluation is to identify the cause and give your family clarity and confidence.
When to Seek Urgent Care
Seek immediate medical attention if your child experiences:
- Palpitations accompanied by fainting or near-fainting
- Palpitations with chest pain or pressure
- Episodes lasting more than 30 minutes without resolution
- Palpitations that start and stop suddenly during exercise
- Palpitations with significant dizziness or weakness
- Family history of sudden cardiac death at a young age
Our Approach
- Take a detailed history of episodes including frequency, duration, and triggers
- Perform a complete cardiac physical examination
- Obtain a baseline EKG in the clinic
- Arrange ambulatory monitoring (Holter or event recorder) to capture rhythms
- Review results and explain findings in plain language
- Initiate treatment or monitoring depending on the diagnosis
Frequently Asked Questions
Have concerns about your child's heart?
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