-
Can my child have an ECG?
My child is 5 years old, and his doctor wants to do an ECG to see how his heart handles exercise. Is five too young?
6 Answers
It is totally fine to have an ECG at any age.
Unless your doctor is suspicious of a rhythm abnormality or congenital heart defects, I do not believe an ECG is necessary
Yes, your 5 yo can have an ECG. An ECG checks the electrical activity of the heart and does not affect or do anything to the patient. We routinely get ECGs in newborn babies in the NICU and nursery as needed.
Olawale Olabiyi, M.D. FACC
Your child can have an ECG. He is not too young to get one. It is quick and painless.
An ECG can be safely performed on patients of all ages
Yes. An ECG can be performed on any age child. It does not answer anything about how his heart handles exercise.