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Symptoms that Might Indicate a Heart Problem

Symptoms that Might Indicate a Heart Problem

Learn more about the Cardiac Center

This is a list of the most common symptoms that might indicate a heart problem in children.

Tassos and Rychik

In most cases, children with these symptoms don't have heart problems. For instance, some children naturally sweat more, and many children sweat while they sleep. Palpitations may be caused by caffeine. Dizziness may suggest that your child isn't drinking enough fluid.

 

However, if your child has any of these symptoms, it's important to tell your pediatrician or primary care doctor. He or she will listen to your child's heart and make a full medical evaluation, and then decide whether a referral to a pediatric cardiologist is appropriate.

Infants

  • Getting out of breath with feeds
  • Getting sweaty with feeds
  • Turning blue inside the mouth (gums/tongue)
  • Passing out

Toddlers/children

  • Unable to keep up physically with other children
  • Getting out of breath with activity sooner than other children
  • Getting sweaty with activity sooner than other children
  • Turning blue around the gums/tongue
  • Passing out

Older children/teens

  • Unable to keep up physically with other children
  • Getting out of breath with activity sooner than other children
  • Getting sweaty with exercise sooner than other children
  • Turning blue around the gums/tongue
  • Chest pain with exercise
  • Passing out
  • Palpitations — heart skipping a beat or beating abnormally
  • Dizziness with exercise

Why Choose Us

Our specialists are leading the way in the diagnosis, treatment, and research of congenital and acquired heart conditions.

Resources to help

Cardiac Center Resources

We know that caring for a child with a heart condition can be stressful. To help you find answers to your questions – either before or after visiting the Cardiac Center – we’ve created this list of educational health resources.

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