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Paediatric supraventricular tachycardia (SVT)
- See a cardiac specialist within 24 hours
- No.1 in the UK for private cardiac care
- 99% of cardiac patients would recommend us to friends and family
PAEDIATRIC SUPRAVENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA (SVT) AT HCA HEALTHCARE UK
Why choose us?
At HCA, our skilled paediatric specialists are committed to offering the very highest standards of cardiac care for children and young people. It’s why we’re rated no.1 in the UK for cardiac and electrophysiology treatment, and why over 99% of our cardiac patients would be happy to recommend us to their family and friends.
Over 250 experienced cardiologists are supported by nurse specialists, radiographers and other caring staff. They help thousands of paediatric cardiac patients every year, using the very latest techniques and technology, and they’re committed to delivering the very best standards of care. We’re here to help.
Paediatric supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is the most common type of fast heart rhythm in children. It happens when electrical signals above the lower chambers of their heart cause a sudden, very fast heartbeat. Heart rates can often go over 220 beats per minute in infants and children.
Paediatric supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is caused by electrical short-circuits or extra wiring in your child’s heart, which can make their heartbeat too fast. Most children are born with these extra pathways, which can trigger fast heart rhythms due to re-entry circuits, abnormal automaticity, or underlying heart structures.
Underlying heart conditions can also be a contributing factor, and the condition is also sometimes caused or made worse by previous heart surgeries, fever, electrolyte imbalances or certain medications.
Your paediatric cardiologist can make an accurate diagnosis, talk to you and your child about the causes, and recommend the best course of treatment.
Symptoms of paediatric SVT can be different, depending on your child’s age. Signs of the condition can be subtle in infants, but can include poor feeding, fast breathing, lethargy, irritability, and sweating when they’re being fed. Older children can be easier to diagnose, because they can say how they’re feeling and describe specific sensations. They often describe a racing or pounding heartbeat, chest discomfort, dizziness, or shortness of breath as symptoms of paediatric SVT.
Symptoms in infants and newborns can include:
- Rapid breathing (tachypnoea) or grunting
- Poor feeding, vomiting, or a lack of interest in eating
- Excessive sweating, particularly while they’re feeding
- Irritability, fussiness, or unusual sleepiness and lethargy
- Pale, grey, or blue-tinted skin
Symptoms in older children and teens can include:
- Palpitations (a sudden feeling of their heart pounding, racing, or fluttering in their chest)
- Dizziness or light-headedness
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain or tightness
- Weakness or fainting
If you’re concerned about any of these symptoms or the condition of your child, please get in touch and we can help.
Treating your child’s condition depends on how stable their heart is. If they need acute help, there are options such as vagal manoeuvres, the Valsalva manoeuvre or intravenous medication. They may also need a small specific electrical shock to reset their heart’s rhythm. If they’re stable but need long-term preventative help, there are medication and surgical options available.
Acute treatments for stopping an attack may include:
- Vagal manoeuvres: These treatments stimulate your child’s vagus nerve to slow their heart rate. It can be done using ice-cold water on an infant’s face for a few seconds (called the diving reflex) or with a Valsalva manoeuvre for older children, which involves them breathing out hard against their closed airway, also called ‘bearing down’.
- Adenosine: This is an intravenous medication that can block your child’s heart conduction and reset its rhythm
- Electrical cardioversion: This is an immediate and synchronized shock used to reset the rhythm of your child’s unstable heart
Treatment for longer-term prevention can include:
- Catheter ablation: This is often the treatment of choice. It’s a highly effective long-term surgical procedure to treat the heart tissue that’s causing the fast rhythm. It offers a lifetime cure that’s effective for 95% of patients. *
- Beta-blockers: This is a daily oral medication (such as propranolol or atenolol) that works well for many infants and young children
- Other antiarrhythmics: Drugs such as flecainide or sotalol might be recommended if beta-blockers aren’t effective
*Source is Science Direct - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405500X21002255
100+
Specialist heart rhythm consultants
36,000+
cardiac patients treated every year
1
dedicated hospital for paediatric cardiac care
Exceptional facilities
The Portland Hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art technology
Rapid diagnostic capabilities
Get results in as little as 48 hours
Focused care
Be seen at our dedicated paediatric hospital in London
Think your child might have paediatric SVT?
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Simply book a test, scan or treatment directly today.
Unsure of a diagnosis and need some answers?
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PAEDIATRIC SVT TESTS AND SCANS AT HCA UK
Skilled diagnosis and focused care
If you’re worried about your child’s heart rhythm, the first step is to talk to your GP or a consultant. They'll talk to you and your child (if they’re old enough) to hear about the symptoms, talk you through potential diagnostic approaches, and discuss the best way forward.
They’ll likely recommend that your child has an echocardiogram to help confirm the initial diagnosis. An echocardiogram is an ultrasound scan of their heart, which shows its structure and function in real time. They may also suggest investigating how well their heart’s working by carrying out some of the following tests:
PAEDIATRIC SVT TREATMENTS AT HCA UK
The expert help your child needs
The best treatment for your child’s SVT will depend on their specific condition and what’s causing it. You’ll be in the caring hands of one of our dedicated paediatric cardiologists and supported by a dedicated team. You and your child will be in safe hands at every stage of the process, and we’ll always keep you fully informed.
Depending on their condition and the results of any tests, your consultant may recommend the following treatments for your child:
- Vagal manoeuvres
- SVT medication
- Electrical cardioversion
- Catheter ablation surgery
Your consultant might also recommend a combination of lifestyle or environmental changes that can help manage their condition.
Accessing private health care
Self-pay
You don’t need health insurance to be seen quickly. If you’re looking for a diagnosis or treatment and don’t want to wait, all our private healthcare services – from private GP appointments through to surgery and aftercare – can be paid for as and when you need them.
And to give you peace of mind from the start, we’ll offer you a clear and transparent quote outlining exactly what’s included in your self-pay package.
Paediatric SVT FAQs
You can easily check your child's heartbeat at home, by following these steps:
Taking their pulse
1. Find a calm quiet spot: Find a quiet spot and make sure your child has been sitting or lying down calmly for around 5 minutes.
2. Choose the right spot on their body
3. Wrist: Place your fingers at the base of their thumb and slide down to their wrist crease
Neck: Place your fingers gently on the side of their windpipe
Arm: For small babies, check their upper arm or inside their upper elbow area
4. Count and calculate: Press softly until you feel their pulse beating through their skin. Use a watch or your phone timer to count the number of beats you feel for 15 seconds and then multiply that number by four to get their pulse.
Normal pulse rates for children, by age:
- Newborns and infants: 100 to 160 beats per minute
- Toddlers (1–3 years): 90 to 150 beats per minute
- Young children (3–5 years): 80 to 140 beats per minute
- School-age children (6–12 years): 70 to 120 beats per minute
- Teens: 60 to 100 beats per minute
If you’re concerned about your child’s heartbeat in any way, call 999 or visit your local A&E immediately.
You should take your child to a doctor immediately if they experience a fast heartbeat for the first time, if an episode lasts more than a few minutes, or if that fast heartbeat is also accompanied by chest pain, dizziness, fainting, or trouble breathing.
You should also make an appointment with your GP or a paediatric cardiologist if your child experiences sudden fluttering sensations, or they show signs of repeated fast heart rhythms.
You should also make an appointment with your GP or a paediatric cardiologist if your child experiences sudden fluttering sensations, or they show signs of repeated fast heart rhythms.
You need to call 999 or take your child to the nearest A&E if:
- Their fast heartbeat lasts longer than a few minutes and doesn’t stop
- Your child feels faint, is dizzy, or passes out
- Your child complains of chest pain or severe shortness of breath
- Your baby has severe red flags such as extreme paleness, grey skin tone, blue lips, constant irritability, or excessive sweating while they’re feeding
This heart condition is one of the most common cardiac conditions to be found in babies and children, and there are several pre-determined factors that can affect your child’s heart rate. Many children are born with an extra ‘wire’ in their heart, which creates a loop that can short-circuit their heart’s electrical activity. Another common cause of SVT is a structural defect, such as the abnormalities conditions such as Ebstein’s anomaly.
However, scars from previous heart surgeries, a family history of certain heart conditions and some medications are also known to be potential causes.
However, scars from previous heart surgeries, a family history of certain heart conditions and some medications are also known to be potential causes.
Our patients’ stories
Solving Alex’s undiagnosed heart condition
At the age of 12, dancer Alex Brookes began experiencing irregular heart palpations. After initially being told it was nothing to worry about, her symptoms persisted and her mum decided it was best to seek medical advice and chose The Portland Hospital.
Marco's cardiac story
Being told you need a cardiac procedure at only 17 years old can be a big shock, especially when you’re playing basketball at a high level and preparing for a tournament. But for Marco, a minimally invasive cardiac procedure meant he was back to full fitness in time for his big competition.
“I couldn’t be happier…I now understand my condition and what this means for my body so now I don’t have to worry so much.”
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