10 yr old with pacemaker

Hi, my daughter is 10 yrs old and the cardiologist said that she needs a pacemaker to be implanted.  Anyone had experienced this pls at this age? How does children cope with it? Can they do sports, excersise continue with normal life? what about violin playing does it effect?

Thanks for any inforamtion you might give

4 Comments

Young recipient

by justice - 2018-03-12 11:42:21

My friend had a pacemaker installed whan she was six. It was placed in her abdomin as she was quite small. She is now 45, had 2 children and of course the pacemaker is now in her chest. She hasen't missed a beat. Played sports etc. She was and still is a Tom Boy.
Good luck and don't worry. All will be OK

All good!!.

by HanaM - 2018-03-12 23:17:25

Hi, 

I actually got my first pacemaker at 8. I played sports (basketball, dance, baseball). I am currently on my 2nd pacemaker and not quite 22 yet. I am still very active (getting up to 3 hours of fitness a day). My pacemaker keeps up with my activity levels great! I never really needed to cope with getting my PM. All of my school friends thought I was so cool, some said I’m like Ironman. Most days go by and I never notice I have a pacemaker. I think your daughter will be alright!

9 years old

by PurE - 2018-03-13 14:16:46

i installed at 9, now deciding remove or replace, its good and can do a lot of sports, when grows older ,our heart will get strong

Don’t worry! X

by RachaelDuffy - 2018-04-02 22:52:38

Hi,

I know it must be quite overwhelming and scary this whole PM thing for you and especially your daughter but it’s not as uncommon for a child to have a PM as you may think. I had my first PM implanted when I was two. I have congenital complete heart block, so I have needed one all my life. I had my second PM at nine, third sixteen and now I am on my fourth, which I got last year. As far as I am concerned your daughter should be able to do everything you mentioned earlier with a PM. There are really no extra boundaries with a PM than normal! Just be mindful of magnets near her chest (big ones, not little fridge magnets!). I have never damaged or done anything to my PM in the what twenty-three years I have had it. I don’t know what life is like without one, to be honest. If anything, life quality will be 10x better for your daughter with a PM.

 

I know this may sound really hard but trust me. Lots of love x

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