Holter monitor?

[HeartsLove]

Does anyone else's CHD require a Holter monitor? I'd never heard of it til (she was 2 1/2) we switched Cardiologists in Feb. She's going in for her 2nd tomorrow. She wears it for 24 hours then we turn it in and they review the data. I guess it's kinda like a portable EKG machine...

Aurora wearing her's in Feb

[asil]

my heart baby has never had one, my preemie came home on a heart monitor (for still haveing A's and B's when we were discharged)...

i had to wear one twice, when i was 20 and 21.  not exactally fun... but not the worst testing i had done either.  mine was exactally what you said, a running EKG, and when i felt pain, light headed, fast heartbeat, etc i had to note it in my "journal" and press a button on the machine.  they reviewed the "tapes" both times, and found nothing.  hmmmm... works well.

i have Prinzmenta'ls angina, which was not seen by the holter monitor.  However, my EKG looks like I am suffering from a heart attack, all the time.  It has never been normal at all.  I was finally diagnosed after much testing, 2 holtor monitors, 3 tilt table tests, multiple stress and non stress tests, and finally what caught it was a cardiac cath. 

again, i guess they aren't the worst, but really difficult for me at 20 and 21, i can't imagine a kid having this fanny pack and wires all over.  then again, maybe they have gotten smaller, lighter and less obtrusive in the last 8 or 9 years.

good luck to you.  i'm glad that frankie doesn't have to have one, and that izzie is off her "apnea/brachycardia" monitor (after 9 long months)...

[HeartsLove]

It's hard to keep her from picking at it (she said it itched), and to keep it dry. They ace-bandaged it around her and I left her in PJ's most of the day, to keep it covered so she wouldn't mess with it. Good thing we're still on Christmas break (I work at a school) so I don't have to take the day off or send her to daycare and worry about THEM taking care of it. It's like $20,000 to replace lol, I had to sign paperwork saying I'd pay if we messed it up

[asil]

oh it does itch.  i ended up taking off the ace wrap and just put a tight fitting tank over mine when i had it.  the ace seemed to cut off air flow, while the tank top seemed to let more air in, and the itching wasn't bad.  the warmer i got, the more it itched.

it is good you're on break!  i had to go to work each time, which meant no shower (obviously) and having to wear/lug this thing around with me... it was BAD.

we signed for both the holter and my youngests apena/brachycardia monitor.  they are expensive to replace!  thank goodness they were all returned in good working order!

Quoting HeartsLove:

It's hard to keep her from picking at it (she said it itched), and to keep it dry. They ace-bandaged it around her and I left her in PJ's most of the day, to keep it covered so she wouldn't mess with it. Good thing we're still on Christmas break (I work at a school) so I don't have to take the day off or send her to daycare and worry about THEM taking care of it. It's like $20,000 to replace lol, I had to sign paperwork saying I'd pay if we messed it up

[mommyweisha]

My daughter wears one twice a year to double check that everything is going good. We bought her a cute purse to fit the monitor in and we do it over weekends so she doesn't have to wear it to school.

[kdesai6]

Hi! This is for all the moms who have children with holter monitors. I am a biomedical engineering major at Georgia Tech and our senior design project is to create a better pediatric ambulatory ECG. If you could please let me know as soon as you can, your experiences with holter monitors and changes you would like to see, we can hopefully create a better product! Right now, we are focusing a smaller device and a vest (so there will be no tape or purses!) Thanks!!

[XsweetpeaX1988]

Hi my son wears one every 3 months! for bradycardia. And the only problem i have had was the wires get all messed up so i would fold them into the tape on the diapers. and the purse i would hook that on his pants. But it would be nice to have something that was fit for babys not adults . its hard to get a baby not to run and stuff or pull it off. I think something small would be better but what i do is put it on at night !  Our dr told us to get what we can with it on. It will show what they need more when he is sleeping. I hope all is well with your little one. and  a vest would be nice to just put the vest on under shirt and not have to have the leads on. Just the vest that holds the comeputer and data.  Thanks mom with son with TGA and Bradycardia!

[kdesai6]

thanks for your input! we'll definitely take that into consideration!

[VLY]

My oldest stepdaughter had to have one a year or two ago just to check things. the cardiologist gave us a little bag to put it in and strap it like a purse across her chest, she had to wear it to school and just put a shirt on over it with orders not to play with it lol :)

I also sent a not with her to explain to the teacher what it was for. she had no problems with it :)