Pulse facts for kids
A pulse is the throbbing feeling you get when you touch certain parts of your body, like your wrist or neck. It's caused by your heart pumping blood through your blood vessels. Each throb you feel is one heartbeat!
You can easily feel your pulse where blood vessels are close to your skin. Common places are your wrist (on the thumb side), your neck (just under your jaw), or even your thumb.
Contents
What Your Pulse Tells You
Your pulse rate is how many times your heart beats in one minute. For most kids and teens, a normal pulse rate when resting is usually between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
Why Your Pulse Changes
Your pulse rate can change depending on what you are doing:
- Exercise: When you exercise, your muscles need more oxygen. Your heart works harder and faster to pump more blood, which carries oxygen, to your muscles. This makes your pulse quicken.
- Rest: When you are resting or sleeping, your body doesn't need as much oxygen, so your heart slows down, and your pulse rate goes down.
- Excitement or Stress: Feeling excited, nervous, or stressed can also make your heart beat faster, increasing your pulse.
Listening to Your Heart
Doctors can also listen to your heart to check its health. They use a tool called a stethoscope to hear the sounds your heart makes. Normally, your heart makes two main sounds, often called "lub-dub." These sounds happen as your heart valves open and close to control blood flow.
Sometimes, doctors might hear other sounds that could mean there's a problem. There are also sounds that are too quiet to hear but can be seen using special machines. Checking your pulse and listening to your heart helps doctors understand how well your circulatory system is working.
Other Meanings of 'Pulse'
The word "pulse" can also mean something else entirely! In cooking and nutrition, pulses are a type of legume. These include foods like peas, beans, and lentils. They are packed with protein and fiber and are a healthy part of many diets around the world.
Images for kids
-
Front of right upper extremity
-
Arteries of the neck.
See also
In Spanish: Pulso para niños
