From the Guidelines
A pulse rate of 67 beats per minute (bpm) is within the normal range for a 6-year-old child. According to the study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 1, normal heart rate ranges from 70-115 beats/minute after age 3 years. This suggests that a pulse rate of 67 bpm for a 6-year-old child is slightly below the normal range, but still considered normal.
Key Points to Consider
- The normal heart rate for children aged 6 years typically ranges from 70-115 beats per minute while at rest, as stated in the study 1.
- Children naturally have faster heart rates than adults because their hearts are smaller and need to beat more frequently to circulate blood throughout their bodies.
- A 6-year-old with a pulse of 67 bpm is at the lower end of the normal range, which often indicates good cardiovascular fitness.
- What's most important is how the child appears overall - if they seem healthy, active, and have no symptoms like dizziness, unusual fatigue, or breathing difficulties, then this heart rate is not concerning.
Factors Influencing Heart Rate
- Heart rate can vary throughout the day based on activity level, emotional state, and other factors, so a single reading should be considered in context with the child's overall health status.
- As children grow, their resting heart rate gradually decreases, which is why it's essential to consider the child's age when evaluating their heart rate. Given the information from the study 1, it's clear that a pulse rate of 67 bpm for a 6-year-old child is within the normal range and not a cause for concern, as long as the child appears healthy and has no symptoms.
From the Research
Normal Pulse Rate for Children
A normal pulse rate for children varies by age.
- For a 6-year-old child, a normal pulse rate is typically between 70 to 100 beats per minute (bpm) 2.
Pulse Rate of 67 bpm for a 6-year-old
A pulse rate of 67 bpm for a 6-year-old child is slightly below the normal range.
- However, there is limited information available in the provided studies to directly answer this question, as the studies focus on the effects of thyroid hormone deficiency and replacement therapy on heart rate and cardiac function in different populations.
Related Studies
Some studies have investigated the relationship between thyroid hormone levels and heart rate:
- A study published in 2001 found that severely hypothyroid neonates had a significantly lower mean heart rate (134.0 +/- 17.9 bpm) compared to normal controls (148.3 +/- 12.1 bpm), but all values were within normal ranges 2.
- Another study published in 2017 found that thyroid hormone replacement therapy increased heart rate in geriatric patients with hypothyroidism, with an average heart rate increase from 72 +/- 2 to 80 +/- 2 bpm 3.
- A study published in 1989 found that thyroid replacement therapy increased basal, average, and maximal heart rates in patients with hypothyroidism, but did not trigger an increase in arrhythmia frequency except in rare patients with baseline atrial premature beats 4.