Heart murmurs are sounds made by blood as it flows through the heart or blood vessels near the heart. Sometimes it can mean there is a heart problem.

Heart murmurs may be caused by many factors or diseases, including:

• Defective heart valves
• Holes in the heart walls
• Surgical repair of heart defects that are present at birth (congenital)
• Fever
• Anemia (a decrease in the red cells in the blood)

Not all heart murmurs are symptoms of heart disease. Many children have what is known as an innocent murmur. These murmurs are not related to congenital heart defects. They usually stop by the time a child reaches adulthood. If your child's physician hears an innocent murmur, they may want to perform tests to make sure there is no heart defect.

A child with an innocent murmur can live a normal life and be as active as any other healthy child. Sometimes, a murmur may be heard in a normal child who has a fever or who is anemic. These murmurs go away when the other problem is treated.

Systolic Murmur
A heart murmur that occurs during a heart muscle contraction.

Diastolic Murmur 
A heart murmur that occurs during heart muscle rests between beats.

Continuous Murmur 
A heart murmur that occurs throughout the cardiac cycle.

Specific treatment for heart murmurs will be determined by your child’s physician based on:

• Your child’s age, overall health and medical history
• Extent of the disease
• Your child's tolerance for specific medications, procedures or therapies
• Expectations for the course of the disease
• Your opinion or preference

Pediatric cardiologists at Children’s Wisconsin are experts at diagnosing the cause of heart murmurs. If fever or anemia is to blame, treating those conditions may stop the murmur.

If your child has an innocent murmur, it is likely that no treatment beyond monitoring will be needed.

Surgery may be required if a congenital heart defect is discovered.

For some families, it can be helpful to come prepared with a plan before your appointment with a cardiologist. Here are things to consider documenting and having ready for your appointment:

• Symptoms your child is experiencing: Sharing when these symptoms appeared and how frequently they occur is helpful to the medical team. Don’t be afraid to share symptoms that seem unrelated — congenital heart disease can affect other parts of the body.
• Medications: This should also include any supplements or vitamins your child takes.
• Related history: This includes family medical history and recent changes in your family’s life.
• Your questions: This will help ensure you don’t forget to ask all your questions. It is okay to ask the same question several times if you are unclear. Our team is here to help you understand the big picture and make sure you walk away with your questions answered.