Hi and thank you for your question.

We understand your concern and we feel sympathy for the problems that you have such as shortness of breath and rapid heart beat.

There are many causes of all the symptoms you are facing which includes heart conditions that may be exacerbated during physical activity or anemia. These causes includes:

1. Asthma – asthma is a reversible constriction of the airways that has its own triggers such as certain food (peanuts, seafood, etc.) or exercise. It is commonly diagnosed in children over 5 years but may be diagnosed even in adulthood. Pertaining to your question, yes, asthma does tend to run in the family, but it does not necessarily manifest as breathing problems, but manifests as allergic rhinitis and eczema. Asthma commonly described as chest tightness and hunger for air.
2. Heart failure – the most common cause of heart failure in children is congenital heart disease. Congenital heart diseases may not manifest and remain asymptomatic for years because there are 2 types of congenital heart disease. The cyanotic heart disease manifests immediately, because the child does not receive enough oxygen even at rest, while the second type, the acyanotic heart disease manifest later or during exertion as the body does not receive enough oxygen when the demand increases. It is commonly described as suffocation.
3. Anemia – this is a condition where the body produces less or non-functional red blood cells. As red blood cells are the carrier of oxygen, the reduction of it will be compensated by shortness of breath. This may not be apparent at rest and may be exacerbated by physical activity. The child may be noticeably pale.
4. Deconditioning – this is when the child complains of heavy, rapid breathing after vigorous physical activity, but have normal cardiopulmonary systems. This is nothing to worry about but causes above should be ruled out first.

We understand that you have concern that this might be Myocardial Infarction. You may also need to look out for the symptoms below that came alongside with Myocardial Infarction:

• pressure or tightness in the chest
• pain in the chest, back, jaw, and other areas of the upper body that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back
• shortness of breath
• sweating
• nausea
• vomiting
• anxiety
• a cough
• dizziness
• a fast heart rate

It’s important to note that not all people who have heart attacks experience the same symptoms or the same severity of symptoms. Chest pain is the most commonly reported symptom among both women and men. However, women are more likely than men to have:

• shortness of breath
• jaw pain
• upper back pain
• lightheadedness
• nausea
• vomiting

To protect your heart, it is still best that you eat a healthy diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, exercise regularly, maintain a healthy weight, quit smoking, drink alcohol in moderation, manage stress level and go for regular health screenings. If you wish to take supplements, ask your doctor if it is suitable for you and if it will cause any problems with the medications you are taking."

As there are many causes, without a full history and examination, it is advised to see a doctor to confirm the diagnosis and seek appropriate treatment. In order for us to provide you with an accurate choice of treatment and management, we need additional details to explore further into your current complaints. Therefore, we greatly suggest that you refer this to your nearest medical doctor. You may also click on this link (DoctorOnCall) to speak with our doctors online. We assure you that our conversations are kept in confidentiality unless additional consultation needed with other medical parties.

Thank you.

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