# Scared-Why Is Toddlers Heart Racing?



## monkeybum (Jan 1, 2005)

I'm scared - my DS 2 seems to have a fast heart rate and slightly rapid breathing while he's sleeping right now.

Following are the "unusual" behaviors from DS 23 months today. In isolation, they wouldn't necessarily concern me, but now that I piece them together I wonder if something could be wrong.

- Was "normal" this morning. Went to daycare, ate well, seemed his usual self when I got there, (but had a substitute teacher who may not nec notice anything unusual). I was surprised by her comment that after a fire drill in the middle of nap time, he fell right back to sleep.

- He sat quietly (eating a donut hole) in the back seat all the way home, (most of the time he wants to watch the DVD, but not all the time). It was dark and I have soft music playing. I noticed his eyelids get very droopy a few times, but he didn't fall asleep (unusual for him to have droopy/closed eyes but stay awake).

- He played normally and ate a normal dinner. Only new thing he had was mango juice. Noticed nothing unusual other than he asked to go to bed at 8pm and fell right asleep! He seemed a bit tired throughout the evening, and said he was tired when I asked him, but he was up late a few nights over the holidays so I didn't think much.

- He almost always wakes up at 11pm when DH gets home, he didn't tonight. He stayed asleep right until 12:30 when DH went to bed. He did, however, sound like he was talking a few times, and he coughed a few times, but stayed asleep. The talking and staying asleep is unusual, he is usually very aware that I am not there, and most of the time wakes up a few times saying "mamma" or "nummies". I checked on him several times surprised he had not woken up. He spoke again in the night but didn't really wake up. He said, "no" a few times, "yucky" once. He usually wakes up and says "mamma" or "nummies" with gusto, sitting up, wide awake - none of that tonight, his voice was very quiet/weak last night, I figured he was tired. He did not ask for nummies (nurse) once and when I offered, he said "no", but then nursed with lots of fluttering sucking.

- What first alarmed me is that when I came to bed, his breathing seemed rapid. He's consistently been at 28 breath's per minute during the night, which is in the "normal" range for his age, but seems fast for when he's sleeping.

- His pulse seems to have been racing, between 120 bpm and 150 bpm all night. This seems waaaay too fast for a sleeping 23 month old. It's also odd that he doesn't wake up when we take his temperature, pulse, etc. He stirs, but stays asleep. He is flushed.

- He has had a mild fever on and off all night, not higher than 98.8, sometimes not at all.

- He just seems to be restless, he stirs with a start, seems to be generally restless, but stays asleep. He has slept through most of the night, (and did last night too, which he has only done 2-3 times ever).

- He has had a nagging (wet) cough for about a month. However, he seems to have allergies and his nose constantly runs clear.

I guess I am waiting to see how he is in the morning, and letting him sleep right now but I am freaking out (my heart is racing). What concerns me is how fast his heart rate is while he's sleeping. I know fever can increase it, but he doesn't have a fever right now and it's a 120 bpm right now.

Help mammas, any idea what it could be? I was concerned about pneumonia, but his fever is so mild and comes and goes. And that doesn't explain the rapid heart rate???

I'm scared mammas! What's wrong with my baby!??

Kathy.


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## libba (May 23, 2004)

I would take him in to MD first thing in the morning! May still be pneumonia even with low grade temp. Please update us - hope he is OK!


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## Attila the Honey (Mar 15, 2003)

To me, it sounds like he's fighting off something.

It might just be a virus, not likely anything serious. When my dd had pneumonia she had a very high fever and wasn't just sedate and more tired than usual, but very listless. It was very obvious something was wrong.

I probably wouldn't go to the doc yet, but I think it's reasonable if you want to go just to be on the safe side. In the meantime I'd give him some vit. c, lots of water, and lots of rest. Also, simple foods - miso soup, whole grain toast, fruit, no sugar and no dairy. That's what we do at the first sign of illness and it seems to help alot.


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## monkeybum (Jan 1, 2005)

Thanks mammas. *deep breath, calmer now...*

He slept in this morning, then woke up around 9:30 and although he seemed a bit tired, he is his normal happy self, (phew!). He woke up, sat up, sang the alphabet song, said "good morning mamma", gave me a big hug, and then asked for apple juice. He's downstairs having breakfast with daddy and chattering away, playing with his new train set and drinking apple juice. No sign of fever.

He has always been great at fighting off bugs, viruses, etc. Hopefully that's all it is/was. I'll keep an eye on him though. I think I will check his heart rate tonight and if it continues to seem high, see the doc. I HATE my doc, (impossible to find a new one here in Canada). I have also had very bad experiences with a few of our local walk-ins, (the docs don't even look at him, just give antibiotics) and our Emerg dep't has given a few of my friend's toddlers/babies bruises from when they do chest x-rays, which they insist on doing every time you come in for anything...okay, my rant is over. Anyway, I hate going to the doc unless I really need to. I just would hate to ever miss anything.

Will keep you posted. Thanks again mammas! If anyone has any other ideas about his fast heart rate, please let me know.

Kathy.


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