Evaluation of children with palpitations

Palpitations are a common symptom in children and adolescents presenting to the emergency department. The differential diagnosis can range from benign etiologies to life-threatening dysrhythmias. Although the most common causes of palpitations in pediatric patients are benign, the emergency department physician is charged with determining which patients would require immediate management, workup, and referral to a cardiologist. This article will specifically address the symptom of palpitations in pediatric patients, isolating it from the more frequently reviewed subject of chest pain.