Three Year Old with Fast Heartbeat

[Lila]

So Olivia started saying the reason she can't sleep sometimes is b/c her heart is beating fast. She told her dad that the other night when it was taking him hours to put her to sleep (she did take a three-hour nap that day so I'm not surprised it took hours to put her down). I asked her about it the next day and she said, "Well, mom, sometimes my heart beats fast and I can't get sleep, but when it doesn't beat fast I get some sleep." She also told our babysitter (I think during a nap) this.

And then this morning at 7, she was sitting up in bed, and I woke up and asked how she was and she said her heart was beating fast. Then a few minutes later she said she was fine and it's been fine the rest of the day.

She only seems to mention this around sleep?

I put a call in to our pediatrician.

[pumpkinseed2011]

Calling the pedi is a good idea. My nephew had that and he wore one of those heart monitors around. He might have been about 5. Turns out he was actually having anixety/panic attacks, but could not explain and no one could figure out the cause of the panic attacks. Not saying that is this, but your description is what he gave... he is almost 12 now and still has anxiety issues but is very well controlled. Good luck.

[macksmom]

Does she say how long it lasts? I get PVCs and they were really bad when I was pg and it make it hard to sleep.

Good idea to call the pedi but it could be harmless. It's great that she is able to verbalize that. Not even sure my almost 4yo would be able to describe that.

[JJorn]

Glad that you called! I'm not sure what could be causing this but they might want to put a Holter (sp?) monitor on her to see if anything comes up. It'll be hard to keep her from ripping it off, though.

[MomOfAnOnly]

My DD started mentioning being able to feel her heart beat several months ago. Sometimes it's after she's been running around, sometimes it's when she's just been playing quietly. I attributed it to her just being aware of her heartbeat for the first time.

When your DD says her heart is beating fast, does it feel fast to you too? I don't think I would be concerned unless I could tell her heart rate is elevated when it shouldn't be, like when she is quietly resting in bed.

[Lila]

She's extraordinarily verbal and sensitive - today she told me she had a belly ache and it was from too much bacon.

I think panic. I'm almost afraid that's what the doctor will say. My heart's been racing lately too but I think mine is from allergies (I'm having a bad spell right now with that) - and my boyfriend is having anxiety attacks! Geesh - wonder if she's just picking up on all that. Poor kid.

I didn't realize that could happen so young.

[Lila]

Carrie, I didn't notice - but Jon said it was beating fast. I thought too it might just be b/c she's aware of it.

I've also now asked her about every hour and she'll say, "no mom, it's slow now."

[MomOfAnOnly]

Ask him to feel it when she says it's beating slow. Their normal heart rate is a little faster than ours anyway. Ryan always thinks Emme's is fast, even when it's not. But at least then he'll have something to compare it too when she says it's fast.

Unfortunately though she could be picking up on the anxiety you both are feeling. Emme's been doing this yawn/deep inhaling thing constantly for the last 2 weeks, and to me it looks a lot like what I do/how I feel when I'm feeling anxious. The NP was baffled, we have an appt with her normal pedi on Monday.

[Lila]

We took her today to our NP and he said heart rate was fine, she seemed fine. He talked to her about bedtime, and noticed a slight increase - suggested something about bedtime/bed is upsetting her. But will consult with regular pedi too-

[tapir]

FIgure out how to take her pulse, and time her when she says it is fast. That info will be worth more than anything else.

[hopeful1]

I'd start randomly taking her pulse, just to have a baseline, and then take it when she says it's fast too.

[suze001]

I think that it would be extraordinally insightful for a 3 year old to understand a fast versus normal heart beat. I would be willing to bet that at 3 she is just becoming aware of her body. If I were to just lay down an focus on my heart beat it would feel like it is pounding. I bet that's all this is.

[Krystal5]

I think that it would be extraordinally insightful for a 3 year old to understand a fast versus normal heart beat. I would be willing to bet that at 3 she is just becoming aware of her body. If I were to just lay down an focus on my heart beat it would feel like it is pounding. I bet that's all this is.

I agree with this. I bet she's just trying to sleep and therefore noticing her heart beat. She wouldn't notice it during the day with so many distractions!

Maiya is similar. Very sensitive, and has trouble settling at night. She tells me she's "so movey", haha. But it's only some nights, nights when she's having a hard time settling. I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same for her- because she can't fall asleep, and there's not much else to do, she instead notices her heart beat more. Kind of like when I'm having trouble getting to sleep, my own breathing annoys me!

I'm glad you talked to the NP though, and glad she seems fine! And, I agree with regularly taking her pulse, just to get a baseline. Always good to know, anyway!