![Mayo Clinic home page [logo]](/images-global/mayologo.gif)
Discover how you can help support Mayo Clinic.
G09 - February 2006 - Heart Murmurs in Children
Intro: It can be an unsettling scenario if you're a parent. You take your child in for a checkup and the doctor says, "I hear a heart murmur." Most childhood heart murmurs are not dangerous; in fact, almost all children will have them at some point. But if the murmur sounds suspicious -- like there might be a problem -- doctors use a high-tech, but painless test to find out. More from Mayo Clinic.
| Video | Audio |
| Total running time 1:30 | TO LITTLE ELIZABETH WALSTON, THERE'S NOTHING BETTER THAN SLIDING IN THE SNOW WITH HER MOM LYNN. |
| VO: sledding | "WHOOO!" |
VO: Elizabeth and Mom sledding To family (including dad) sitting together in living room |
BUT A FEW MONTHS AGO THINGS WEREN'T SO CAREFREE. THE WALSTONS GOT WORRISOME NEWS FROM ELIZABETH'S DOCTOR. |
Lynn Walston |
"SHE LISTENED TO HER HEART AND SHE DID NOTICE THERE WAS A FAIRLY LOUD MURMUR THAT WAS CONCERNING TO HER." |
| VO: from Walston family to Dr. Cabalka | THEIR DOCTOR REFERRED THEM TO A PEDIATRIC CARDIOLOGIST LIKE DR. ALLISON CABALKA (SUH-BAHL-KUH). |
Allison Cabalka, M.D. |
"A MURMUR IS SIMPLY THE NOISE YOUR BLOOD MAKES AS IT FLOWS THROUGH THE HEART." |
| VO: to echo video | TO FIND OUT IF THE MURMUR WAS INNOCENT OR A SIGN OF A HEART PROBLEM THEY HAD FURTHER TESTING. |
Greg Gilman |
"AND THE IDEAL WAY TO DO THAT IS WITH ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY." |
| VO: Greg Gilman performing echo on Elizabeth | REGISTERED SONOGRAPHER GREG GILMAN IS USING ULTRASOUND TO CREATE A DETAILED PICTURE OF THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF ELIZABETH'S HEART. |
Greg Gilman |
"THIS IMAGE SHOWS THE FOUR CHAMBERS OF THE HEART. THE TWO VALVES." |
| VO: Echo procedure | THE IMAGES SHOW IF THE MURMUR IS CAUSED BY A PROBLEM -- SAY A HOLE BETWEEN THE CHAMBERS OR A LEAKY VALVE -- OR IF THE HEART MURMUR IS INNOCENT. |
TO Viv stand up |
AND ALMOST ALL KIDS HAVE MURMURS AT SOME POINT. THAT'S BECAUSE A CHILD'S CHEST WALL IS THINNER THAN AN ADULT'S AND YOU CAN HEAR MORE SOUNDS WITH A STETHOSCOPE. |
| Greg Gilman | "YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL HEART." |
VO: Elizabeth in echo procedure |
ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY CONFIRMED THAT ELIZABETH HAD AN INNOCENT MURMUR. NO NEED FOR FURTHER TESTING OR TREATMENT. "HERE SHE COMES" AND NOW HER MOM CAN WORRY ABOUT TYPICAL KID MISHAPS. |
| Elizabeth | "I BONKED THE TREE." |
| VO: Sledding | INSTEAD OF WORRYING ABOUT ELIZABETH'S HEART. |
| FOR MEDICAL EDGE, I'M VIVIEN WILLIAMS. | |
Tag: Dr. Cabalka says most family physicians can diagnose murmurs just by listening to them. But if there's ever a question about the heart sounds of your child, she recommends seeing a doctor who specializes in pediatric cardiology. For more information on heart murmurs or echocardiography, log on to out Web site at ...
STATIONS: Per the licensing agreement, please provide a link from your station's Web site to www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge or voice tag "mayoclinic.org/medical-edge" for more information.
.
