My 5 yr old daughter laid in bed (at bed time) and complained that her heart hurt because it was beating so fast and she had trouble breathing. She said it has been happening every so often for a couple of days. We took her heart rate and it was about 180, it slowed and we checked again now that she is sleeping and it is about 120. Should we take her to ER or pedi in the morning?
Hi, There is a big range for normal heartbeat rates. For a 5-year-old, the heartbeat rate could be anywhere from 70 to 120. It will increase with exercise, crying, anxiety/stressful situations or feeling, straining (like to poop), and fever. Also, the best way to check the heartbeat rate is to use a watch and tap out the heartbeat for a second person to count. Besides, counting for a full 30 seconds and doubling gives a more reliable number than counting for just 10-15 seconds. I would check it a few more times over the course of a day prior to worrying about it. If she has pain, or seems to be having trouble breathing, then she may need to be evaluated for those problems. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further. 