What symptom suggests that a child may be experiencing heart failure during feeding?

Prolonged feeding time and breaks to catch breath is a significant symptom that can indicate a child is experiencing heart failure during feeding. In this context, heart failure may impair the heart's ability to effectively pump blood, leading to decreased oxygen delivery to the body's tissues, including the muscles involved in feeding. As a result, the child may become fatigued more quickly than usual and require frequent pauses to catch their breath, which can extend the overall feeding time. This is especially concerning in infants, as they should typically be able to feed efficiently without needing to stop frequently for breath.

The other options provided do not indicate a child may be experiencing heart failure. Normal feeding behavior and no signs of distress suggest that the child is feeding without complications. Excessive weight gain can indicate over-nutrition but does not have a direct correlation with heart failure during feeding episodes. In children with heart issues, one might expect to see poor weight gain or signs of feeding difficulties rather than excessive weight gain. Therefore, the most indicative symptom of possible heart failure in the context of feeding is prolonged feeding time with breaks for breath.