Could an outlet shock damage my daughter's heart after the ER cleared her?

An injury with electricity like the one you mention is common. It seems the electric shock your daughter had was a low voltage one. Home outlets tend have a voltage of only 110 volts. If the doctors who examined your child in the ER had any concerns about the heart, they would have continued to monitor her heart rhythm.

When the body comes in contact with electricity, the electrical current passes right through it. This results in a "shock." Whether or not there is anything to worry about depends on how:

• High or low the voltage was
• Long the body was in contact with the electricity

Most of the time, an electrical shock causes only mild discomfort. There can be minor burns on the skin. There are usually signs of entrance and exit wounds (or burns) on the surface of the skin.

Although internal burns can also be present, these are more likely to occur with electric shocks from higher voltages. These can cause bigger problems, like damage to internal organs.

As for your child's heart, only a very small percentage of injuries from electric shock cause an irregular heartbeat. Most of these rhythm problems show up within the first few hours after the injury. Then, the heart adjusts and goes back to its normal pattern of beating on its own.

The best way to prevent this from happening again is to be sure all electrical outlets are covered, make sure all wires are in good shape and out of your child's reach, and always have an adult watching children playing near any electrical hazards.