Heart troubles happen in kids, but shouldn’t creat unneeded worry

A movie that just opened nationwide revolves around the hospital care of a child who develops a catastrophic heart problem. When we hear about a sudden death from unsuspected heart trouble, it’s especially disturbing when the victim is a child.Blank Children’s Hospital pediatrician Dr. Deb Bixler says heart problems in children can be subtle and hard to spot.Sometimes there’s a rhythm problem that cannot be diagnosed. Dr. Bixler says nobody’s to blame when cardiac problems in a child show no symptoms. If there’s a family history of trouble, an echocardiogram is a good way to screen for it. The doctor says most parents shouldn’t be too concerned about undetected heart trouble in their child.He says a good physical exam is a good way to screen most kids. Dr. Bixler says it’s not unusual for a child to have a heart murmur that will clear up in time.