The actual management of common arrhythmias and other ECG abnormalities in children

Primary cardiac arrhythinias are much less common in infants and children than adults and the symptoms presented may be vague and nonspecific. Though true emergencies due to unstable arrhythmias in children are rare it is critical to identify and appropriately manage these arrhythmias, since when left untreated, arrhythmias may lead to cardiopulmonary compromise and arrest. Most children with a primary arrhythmia present to a pediatrician, cardiologists, or emergency physicians before being referred to a pediatric cardiologist for assessment and management. Thus, the pediatricians, cardiologists, and emergency physicians have to be able to recognize the arrhythmia and in some cases to provide the acute treatment. This article is intended to provide diagnostic and management guidelines of the most common types of arrhythmias seen in children with structurally normal hearts.