Abnormal cardiac symptoms (palpitations) sometimes come and go and might not occur during standard in-office electrocardiogram testing. At Children’s Cardiology Group in Orange, Newport Beach and Mission Viejo, California, the team of expert pediatric cardiologists provides Holter and event monitoring to collect more data about the electrical activity (rhythm) of your child’s heart. Call Children’s Cardiology Group or schedule a consultation online today if you’re looking for specialized pediatric cardiology services.
Holter and event monitors are small portable electrocardiogram devices that you wear for between one day and a month, or possibly longer. Holter monitors continuously record the electrical activity in your heart for 24-48 hours. However, if your cardiologist provides an event monitor, you activate it when you have symptoms.
The team at Children’s Cardiology Group prescribes Holter and event monitoring when they need to gather more data about the electrical activity of your child’s heart. Often, abnormal heart activity comes and goes. In-office electrocardiograms collect data for only a short time, and if your appointment doesn’t coincide with unusual heart activity, the test may not detect it.
Holter and event monitors provide information about your child's heart rhythm for a more extended period of time, which provides a broader view of your child’s cardiovascular health and heart activity to help your cardiologist diagnose their condition.
For example, your cardiologist might recommend Holter or event monitoring if your child has cardiovascular symptoms like fluttering (palpitations), shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, or is becoming easily fatigued during physical activity. In some cases, your cardiologist might request that your child wear the monitor to see if their treatment is effectively regulating their heart.
The team explains how to use the device in detail before sending you home to wear it. In general, you attach a few sticky electrodes to your child’s chest and connect the wires. Then, the wires connect to the monitoring device. Your child can wear the device in a pouch around their neck, or they can attach it to a belt. The wires are long enough that they can put the monitoring device on a bedside table while they sleep and still feel comfortable. The tests are noninvasive and painless.
Sometimes your child may be provided with a wireless monitor, which consists of a patch that is applied to the chest or a hand-held event monitor that is held on the chest only when symptoms occur.
When the allotted time is over, you either return the device to the Children’s Cardiology Group offices or mail it in a pre-paid envelope provided to you. Sometimes the data can be transmitted over a phone line. Your cardiologist reviews the information and schedules any necessary follow-up appointments or additional testing.
If you are concerned about your child’s heart health, call Children’s Cardiology Group or make an appointment online today for expert pediatric cardiovascular care.
