Congenital Heart Disease
Recent news has created an increased awareness of congenital
heart disease, and below we have provided you with the necessary
background and information in regards to the
condition.
What is congenital heart disease?
Congenital heart disease is an abnormality of the heart that a
person has had since birth. In some cases, the condition is
diagnosed when the baby is still developing in the womb, but in
most cases the problem is not discovered until after the baby is
born.
There are many different types of congenital heart disease, for
example, the heart’s valves may not be properly formed or there
could be holes between the chambers of the heart.
The condition occurs in about 7 of every 1,000 pregnancies.
For more than half of these children, the condition is a minor
problem which either doesn’t need any treatment, or can be
successfully corrected with surgery.
Other conditions are more serious and sadly, some children with
congenital heart disease do not survive. However, thanks to
advances in diagnosis and treatment most children will grow up to
become adults and lead full and active lives.
What causes congenital heart disease?
In most cases, something has gone wrong in the
early development of the foetus. Often, we don’t understand why the
baby’s heart hasn’t developed normally. Some heart conditions in
babies are due to faulty genes or chromosomal abnormalities.
How is the condition discovered?
Many heart problems are picked up when the mother has an
ultrasound scan during pregnancy, but sometimes the problem is not
detected until after the baby has been born. Some conditions may
not be discovered until the child is older or even an adult.
What treatment is available?
Treatment depends on the type and severity of the condition.
Some children won’t require any treatment, while others may
need medication or heart surgery. There are also other new
techniques and procedures which can be done to avoid the need for
surgery.
What support can I get if my baby is born with a heart
condition?
Learning that your child has a congenital
heart condition can be very distressing. They will probably be
under the care of a specialist centre, where health
professionals can offer you support and help to cope with
the situation.
What is Endocarditis?
Endocarditis is a rare but serious condition where the inner
lining of the heart can become infected. Some people who have
congenital heart disease are at a higher risk of endocarditis. See
our information sheet on
Endocarditis for further information.
Resources
The
Understanding your child's heart condition
series of publications provide information on the causes and the
treatments available as well as where to go for more support.
Addtional information
Available now: Aortic
stenosis, Coarctation
of the aorta, Large
ventricular septal defect, Pulmonary
stenosis, Tetralogy
of Fallot, Transposition
of the great arteries, Single
ventricle circulation, Pulmonary
atresia, Hypoplastic
left heart, Tricuspid
atresia, Double
inlet ventricle
yheart.net/meet -
our website for young people with heart conditions
We'll tell you what we want - DVD for
teenagers growing up with heart problems
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