5 Signs Your Baby has a Congenital Heart Problem
Congenital heart disorder signifies presence of a heart problem in a child at the time of birth. Congenital heart disease (CHD) is in fact one of the most common birth defects. In India, the prevalence of CHD is about 9 per 1,000 live births, according to a 2018 report published by Indian Pediatrics (IP); the official journal of the Indian Academy of Pediatrics. This translates to around 200,000 cases of CHD each year in India. Out of these, 20% are serious cases and would require medical intervention.
But because of lack of awareness among people about CHD and its symptoms, doctors fail to save children who can be otherwise treated so as to live long healthy lives. There are many pediatric or child heart hospitals in India that are dedicated to this purpose.
Signs of Congenital Heart Disease
In most cases, a congenital heart disorder in the child can be detected during the routine pregnancy ultrasounds in the maternity hospital itself. For instance, if the doctor feels that the heartbeat of the child is abnormal, then they may perform further investigations. In case such a diagnosis is made, a fetal medicine expert can address these conditions and suggest further treatment.
But in some cases, the symptoms may not appear till a short period after the birth. Some of them include:
1. Cyanosis
Cyanosis, or a bluish-purple tinge to the skin of toes, fingers, earlobes and lips in babies, is a common sign of CHD. Cyanosis indicates that lower levels of oxygen are being attached to the red blood cells in the blood stream. Blood with low levels of oxygen turns blue or purple, instead of red. This starts turning the skin to the same color as well.
2. Shortness of Breath
Certain types of congenital heart diseases can significantly increase the blood pressure in the arteries which connect the heart to the lungs. This can lead to shortness of breath, especially during feeding. This makes it hard for infants to drink milk, thereby making weight gain difficult.
3. Irregular Heartbeats
Children as well as young adults with congenital heart disorders can also develop problems with their heartbeat rhythm. These problems can arise in the ventricular chambers (ventricular arrhythmia) or in the top part of the heart (atrial arrhythmia). In some cases, the heartbeat can be too slow, which may require a pacemaker. In others, it can be too fast, requiring medications.
4. Extreme Fatigue
Since the heart of children with CHD is not able to function properly, the body fails to get the nourishment it needs. This causes them to tire easily. They can feel tired while doing even the simplest of activities, such as taking a shower.
5. Swelling
Children with cognitive heart diseases can also experience swelling in feet, ankles, or hands. When the heart does not function properly, fluid can build up in the body, causing swelling.
In certain cases, the symptoms may not appear until adulthood. Once they do, other symptoms become prominent such as fainting, having trouble breathing, and irregular heartbeats.
The good news is that treatments for CHD are available in most good child heart hospitals. In many cases, if the symptoms are mild, no treatment might be suggested. However, in serious cases, the patient can be treated using medicines, implantable heart devices, catheter procedures, and open-heart surgeries.