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Chest pain in children can be present for a variety of reasons.

The pain could be coming from the lungs, the ribs, the chest wall muscles, the diaphragm, and the joints between the ribs and breastbone. Injury, infection, or irritation to any of these tissues can be responsible for chest pain.

Occasionally, referred pain can happen. Chest pain may also happen because of stress or anxiety. Rarely, the heart is the source of chest pain in children.

However, chest pain may be a symptom of a serious underlying disease. But, most chest pain in youngsters is caused by issues that are not serious.

These are some of the common illnesses that can cause chest pain in children.

Costochondritis occurs after inflammation of the “joint” between the breastbone and the ribs. It is particularly common in adolescent and pre-adolescent females, but can occur in anyone at any age and can be caused by frequent coughing.

Injury to the muscles and bones of the chest wall. It may be caused from a direct blow or heavy lifting.

Stress or anxiety can also cause chest pain. The pain is often dull or non-specific and gets worse with stress or anxiety.

Acid reflux can cause stomach or chest pain. It sometimes manifests as a burning sensation below the sternum, though children may not be capable of accurately describing this symptom.

Unlike adults, chest pain due to a cardiac cause is extremely uncommon in children

Other common causes of chest pain include air pockets, fluid, or inflammation in the chest as well as lung infections and asthma.

If you have any concerns consult your physician.

Tagged with: cardiovascular disease • chest pain • children • healthy heart • regular heart beat

Kawasaki Disease (KD) is also called “muco-cutaneous lymph node syndrome.” The cause of Kawasaki Disease has not known.

Kawasaki Disease, usually after a period of time and even without consulting a doctor, resolves itself and the patient is fine. Without consulting a doctor, however, potential serious complications may develop and may not be recognized.

Kawasaki Disease usually affects children younger than 4 years old with the majority being less than 2 years; although cases in older children have also been reported.

Findings of high fever and enlarged lymph glands in Kawasaki Disease seem to show it as an inflammatory process. Because the inflammation often involves the blood vessels of the body, Kawasaki Disease is felt to be an inflammation of a blood vessel. The cause of the inflammation is not known.

Some of the signs of Kawasaki Disease include:

1. Prolonged high fever (lasting longer than 5 days)
2. A non-specific rash that often involves the groin area
3. Painful joints
4. Red eyes, without discharge
5. Very red lips and tongue
6. Enlarged neck lymph gland(s)
7. “Puffy” hands and feet occasionally followed by peeling of their superficial skin
8. Irritability in younger patients. In some children, enlargement of the gall bladder can cause abdominal pain and vomiting.

If there is no heart involvement after 1 year from the diagnosis of this disease, the patient is often released from further cardiology evaluations. The majority of the patients fall in this category, and they have an excellent prognosis.

Consult your doctor with any questions or concerns.

Tagged with: cardiovascular disease • Heart Disease • heart healthy • Kawasaki disease • regular heart beat

A Holter monitor is a device that gives a 24-hour recording of the electrical activity of the heart. The monitor is used as a diagnostic tool to record the rate and rhythm of the heart.

Irregularities in heart beat, such as fast heart rate, slow heart rate and abnormal rhythms of the heart will be recorded.

Because many irregularities that occur in heart rate or rhythm may not be present at all times, a standard electrocardiogram (EKG) may not record them.

By recording the heart rate and rhythm continuously for 24 hours throughout different activity levels of a patient there is a greater chance of detecting abnormalities.

The Holter monitor is placed on the patient by an experienced technician or physician. Five electrode patches (with wires) are attached to the patient’s chest.

The electrodes are like EKG patches and make it possible to record the heart’s electrical activity. The wires are attached to a tape recorder that is worn for 24 hours on a belt around the waist or on a shoulder strap.

The patient is able to remove the Holter monitor after the 24 hour period or return to the physician’s office for removal of the monitor.

A patient may be asked to keep a record of activities on the day that the monitor is attached, especially recording any symptoms that develop that are suspected of being a heart rhythm problem.

Your physician will be able to answer more detailed questions.

Tagged with: abnormal rhythms • cardiovascular disease • heart healthy • Holter monitor • regular heart beat

Exciting research undertaken to assess the benefits of fish oil in helping to prevent cardiovascular disease indicates that the omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil is promising.

The research has shown that it may certainly reduce the risks of it. In particular, clinical studies have shown that omega-3 fatty acids help to lower triglycerides. As well they lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of arrhythmias which increase the risk of cardiac arrest, reduce plaque, help to prevent blood clots and improves endothelial function which supports the growth of new blood cells.

It is exciting that fish oil has been found to lower triglycerides as high levels of triglycerides have been found to increase the risk of heart attack.

Although omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained from sources other than fish oil, two of the most beneficial forms are only available from fish. Omega-3 can be included in the diet by eating fatty fish (such as salmon) three times a week. However you can take omega-3 supplements. Make that the companies use oil that is top quality and have all toxic metals and chemicals removed.

As always be sure to check with your doctor before beginning any new regimen.

Tagged with: cardiovascular disease • fish oil • get your heart in shape • heart healthy • regular heart beat

The following is a great way to lose weight and get your heart in shape in the shortest amount of time.

1. Tell your doctor that you are going to begin exercising at a level where you will be breathing vigorously. Ask if, based on your physical condition, you should limit your effort and if so, to what level.

2. Warm up at a conversational pace and then increase your speed or intensity level to 70% - 75% of MHR (breathing strongly) so that after about five minutes you feel fatigue setting in. Back off and catch your breath at 65% of MHR or below.

3. Now really get going (fit walkers find a hill) and push to 75% to 80% of MHR (breathing vigorously). Stay there, from one to three minutes, until your body is asking for a break and then slow down to 60% of MHR, or below, until you recover.

Repeat this gradually increasing the number, duration and intensity of intervals as you are able. If you challenge yourself to work hard your workout should, at most, take no longer than thirty minutes.

Cool down and have a drink of water. These interval workouts, using your breath to gauge intensity will work very effectively to burn calories and get your heart in shape.

Tagged with: cardiovascular disease • get your heart in shape • healthy heart beat • heart failure • heart healthy • regular heart beat

If you are concerned about heart health then you’ll want to know how to keep your heart beat regular.

Obesity is a common problem that causes heart attacks or heart problems. Yet is it not the only one. What makes obesity so life threatening is that the fat goes in and blocks the arteries and interrupts a healthy heart beat.

This limitation of blood often causes the heart to pump harder as it goes in a state of panic; and that is briefly is what causes a heat attack.

Keeping your heart beat regular is about ensuring that your heart is well taken care of. It also entails taking care of your heart’s valves, so that they can function at their best.

Another important part of keeping your heart beat regular is being aware of the types of foods that will promote better heart health.

In the natural heart health department, you will find many forms on natural heart health supplements. These can be capsules or syrups and they are all made in one way or the other from natural ingredients.

These cardiac tonics will help you improve the condition of your heart and keep your heart beat regular.

Keeping your heart beat regular is important because heart surgery will cost you loads of money besides the obvious dangers associated with it.

If you are concerned about keeping your heart beat regular talk to your physician for more information.

Tagged with: cardiovascular disease • healthy heart beat • heart failure • heart healthy • regular heart beat