Skip to main content

Congenital heart disease symptoms in children

If your child has a congenital heart defect, it means that your baby was born with a problem with the structure of his heart.

Some congenital heart defects in children are simple and do not require treatment. Other congenital heart defects in children are more complex and require multiple surgeries over many years.

Knowing about your child's congenital heart defect can help you understand the situation and what to expect in the months and years to come.

Types of congenital heart disease

There are many types of congenital heart disease, and sometimes they are combined. Some common mistakes:


  • Septal defects - there is a hole between the two chambers of the heart (commonly called a "hole in the heart")

  • Correction of the aorta: Here the main large artery in the body called the aorta is narrower than usual.

  • Pulmonary valve stenosis: where the pulmonary valve that controls blood flow from the lower right chamber of the heart to the lungs is narrower than normal.

  • Great Artery Transplantation - Where the pulmonary and aortic valves are swapped and the locations where the arteries to which they are connected are swapped.

  • Undeveloped heart - A part of the heart that is not developing properly, making it difficult for the body or lungs to pump enough blood.

Causes

Doctors never know why a baby has a congenital heart defect. They walk in families.


Things that make them more:


  • Problems with genes or chromosomes in children such as Down syndrome

  • Taking certain medications or alcohol or drugs during pregnancy

  • Viral infection of the mother with rubella (German measles) during the first trimester of pregnancy

Signs & Symptoms

In some cases, symptoms of congenital heart disease do not appear until after birth. Newborns with heart defects may experience:


  • Blue lips, skin, fingers, and toes

  • Shortness of breath or trouble breathing

  • Difficulties in eating

  • Low birth weight

  • Chest pain

  • Growth retardation

In other cases, symptoms of a congenital heart defect do not appear until many years after birth. As symptoms develop, they can include:.


  • Abnormal heart rhythms

  • Dizziness

  • Difficulty breathing

  • Epilepsy

  • Inflammation

  • Fatigue

Diagnosis

In some cases, fetal ultrasound can detect congenital heart defects before the baby is born.

Some types of congenital heart defects develop immediately after birth. Less serious defects do not appear until the child is of legal age. Some congenital heart defects are diagnosed after hearing a heart murmur.

Depending on the child's symptoms or a heart murmur, the doctor may order one or more of the following tests to diagnose a congenital heart defect:

  • Electrocardiogram

  • Echocardiogram (a cardiac ultrasound)

  • Chest x-ray

  • Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT)

  • Cardiac catheterization

  • Blood test for genetic analysis.

If your child is diagnosed with a chromosome or other genetic abnormality, genetic counseling can help you identify the risk of heart defects in other children that she may have in the future.

Treatment

Children with mild heart defects do not need treatment. But some babies have severe symptoms that require medical or surgical treatment during the first year of life. They take care of:

Pediatric Cardiologists - Specialists in treating pediatric heart problems.

OR

Pediatric cardiac surgeons: specialists in pediatric cardiac surgery

Procedures performed by cardiac catheterization, such as balloon angioplasty or valvuloplasty, dilate blocked blood vessels or valves. Another method, the transcatheter device housing, can close abnormal openings or holes in the heart or blood vessels without surgery.

Some problems, such as small or medium-sized ventricular septal defects, may close or become smaller as the child grows. While you wait for the hole to close, your child will need to take medicine.

Complex defects initially detected may require a series of operations completed before the age of 3 in the child.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is Rheumatic heart disease?

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a serious heart disease that affects one or more of the four small heart valves. Damage to the valve remains after an illness called acute rheumatic fever (ARF). During ARF, the tissue of the heart valve and sometimes other parts of the heart (lining of the heart or muscle) become inflamed and this is called carditis. After carditis, the heart valves can be damaged, followed by scarring, and the result is disruption of normal blood flow through the damaged valves. Some of the blood may flow backward through a leaky valve that does not close properly, or a leaky, scarred valve may not open properly. When the heart is damaged in this way, the heart valve may not function properly and heart surgery may be necessary to repair or replace the damaged valve. Routine antibiotics are prescribed for people with RHD to prevent recurrent ARF and subsequent valve damage. Causes Rheumatic heart disease is caused by rheumatic fever, which affects many connective tissu...
Post a Comment
Read more

Congenital heart specialists

Congenital heart disease is one or more problems with the heart's construction that are present from birth. Congenital means that you were born with a defect. Congenital heart disease, also called a congenital heart defect, can change the way blood flows through your heart. Some congenital heart defects may not cause any problems. However, complex defects can cause grievous complications. Advances in diagnosis and treatment have allowed children with congenital heart disease to survive into adulthood. Former the signs and symptoms of congenital heart disease don't appear until you're an adult. If you have congenital heart disease, you will likely need care throughout your life. Inquire your doctor to determine how often you need to be tested. Types All cardiologists are not the same. While each doctor undergoes education and training related to the heart, they specialize in different types of heart problems. It is important that you be treated by a cardiologist trained in c...
Post a Comment
Read more

What is myocarditis?

  Myocarditis is a disease characterized by inflammation of the heart muscle, called myocardium, the muscular layer of the heart wall. This muscle is responsible for contracting and relaxing to supply blood to the heart and body and the rest of the body. When this muscle is inflamed, the ability to pump blood becomes less effective. It can cause problems such as abnormal heartbeats, chest pain, or shortness of breath. In severe cases, it can lead to blood clots, heart failure or heart damage or death, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. In general, inflammation is a physical response to any type of injury or infection. Hold down g when you cut your finger: in a short time, the tissue around the cut swells and turns red, which are classic signs of inflammation. Your body's immune system goes to the wound site and produces specialized cells to carry out repairs. But sometimes another cause of inflammation or inflammation of the immune system can lead to myocarditis. What are ...
Post a Comment
Read more