What is an Exercise Treadmill Test?
An exercise treadmill test is done to measure the heart’s ability to respond to exercise. To do the test, a child walks on a treadmill while a technician monitors his or her heart rate and blood pressure. The child may also be asked to breathe through a special tube during the test. The test is painless and complications from the test are very rare. How do I prepare for it? On the day of the test, your child will come to the Pediatric Cardiology Clinic. He or she should wear tennis shoes and loose, comfortable clothes. It is best that only a small breakfast or lunch is eaten at least one hour before the test. Children usually do better during the test when their parents are not present. You may stay with your child during the test if you feel it is necessary, but to obtain a better test result you are encouraged to allow your child to complete the test by him or herself. The test starts by having the child walk very slowly up a small incline on a treadmill. Every three minutes, the tec
