Symptoms of Heart Failure
The symptoms of heart failure can include:
- Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
- Poor feeding
- Poor weight gain
- Pain in the stomach area
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Difficulty breathing
- Abnormal heart rhythm
Your child’s symptoms will be unique and may depend on how long they have had a heart problem.
Heart Failure Diagnosis
If the doctor thinks your child has symptoms of heart failure, your child may have one or more tests, depending on their condition:
- A chest X-ray to see if the heart is enlarged
- An EKG, or electrocardiogram, to check heart rhythm
- An echocardiogram, or ultrasound of the heart, to look at the heart's structure and the way it is working
- Exercise testing to check how well their heart and lungs are working
- A heart catheterization study to get a more detailed look at the heart