Extrasystoles in Children

Extrasystoles occur much less frequently in children than in adults, and little is known of their etiology. Since they may be present both in diseased and in apparently normal hearts, it is sometimes difficult to determine the treatment of the patient and the prognosis of the condition. During the past few years we have examined a large number of children, some with cardiac disease and others apparently in normal health. From the data collected we have made an estimation of the frequency of extrasystoles in children. It has also been our purpose to determine as far as possible the predisposing factors and to trace the effect of this cardiac irregularity on the health of the patients. PREVIOUS LITERATURE Visco1found this irregularity in 48 children of a group of 1,000. Two of these patients, aged 2 and 4 years respectively, were perfectly healthy in all other respects. One child,