by Premier Hospitals | November 18, 2019 |
About one out of every 100 children suffers from a heart problem. If this problem exists from birth, then it is called as congenital heart disease. Heart defects are usually treatable, either by drugs, surgeries or other medical procedures.
A child with heart problems may or may not have apparent symptoms. Sometimes, they may develop slowly over time. In other cases, there may be sudden changes, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). Also, symptoms of heart problems in children can vary depending on the age of the child.
If a child has symptoms of heart disease, a paediatrician must be consulted immediately. He/She would examine the child, do some basic tests and decide on referral to a Pediatric Cardiologist if necessary. Most tests for heart problems are simple, fast and painless. Most children with heart disorders lead healthy, satisfying lives with very little or no restrictions.
A congenital heart defect, as mentioned before, means that a child is born with a defect in the structure of the heart. Some congenital heart defects in children are simple and do not require treatment. Other congenital heart defects in children are more complex and may require several operations over several years.
Knowing more about heart problems in children, allows the parent to mentally prepare themselves to handle the disease of their child better and also to seek appropriate medical care. So in this article, we at Premier Hospital give you information on heart function, symptoms of the child with heart disease and also tell you how to recognise a child with a heart problem.
How Does The Heart Work?
The heart has four chambers, two on each side of the body. The right side collects blood from the body and sends blood to the lungs to receive oxygen. The left side receives fresh blood from the lungs and pumps it throughout the body.
Arteries are blood vessels (tube-like structures) that carry blood from the heart, and Veins are blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart.
Oxygenated blood is often referred to as red blood because it looks bright red. Blood that has returned from the body to the heart does not have much oxygen and is commonly referred to as blue blood because it has a darker blue colour. The wall in the heart separates red and blue blood, and the valves keep blood flowing in the right direction.
What Is Heart Failure?
For a child to grow and develop well, the heart must maintain normal pumping function to ensure optimal blood flow to the body. Heart Failure is a disease, where the heart does not stop working but is unable to maintain its pumping function. It can occur in newborns, infants, toddlers and teenagers. Because heart failure has several causes and consequences, it is essential to recognize it early.
There are two types of heart failure in children. The first,
circulatory failure, occurs when two types of blood mix in the heart due to a defect in the heart such as in congenital heart disease. The second,
pump failure, occurs when the heart muscle is damaged and cannot contract normally with the same force.
In adults, heart failure occurs mostly due to the effects of smoking, high blood pressure,
diabetes mellitus, heart disease and heart valve weakness.
What Causes Heart Problems In Children?
Damage to the heart wall (a hole in the heart), or a problem with the valve (for example, the valve is too narrow, completely blocked or too weak) is often the most common cause of heart disease in children. This may lead to mixing of oxygenated (red) blood with deoxygenated (blue) blood or to defective pumping of the heart. In such situations, the body may not get enough oxygen.
These heart abnormalities usually occur when the baby is still growing in the womb. The cause may be genetic (there is a family history of heart disease), or due to infections during pregnancy, or even due to use of certain drugs or smoking by the pregnant mother. Hence,
doctors are very careful about giving drugs during pregnancy, so as to avoid any harmful effects to the baby (fetus) inside the womb.
Types of Heart Defects
There are many types of congenital heart diseases, such as the following:
- Aortic valve stenosis
- Atrial septal defect (ASD)
- Coarctation of the aorta (COA)
- Ebstein anomaly
- Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
- Patent foramen ovale (PFO)
- Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
- Truncus arteriosus
- Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
- Pulmonary valve stenosis
- Single ventricle defects
- Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
- Tricuspid atresia
- Total (or partial) anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC)
- Transposition of the great arteries
How To Identify Signs And Symptoms of Heart Defects?
Many children with heart abnormalities appear to be healthy and have no symptoms, and their parents don't know they have heart problems. Of those who have symptoms, most develop in the first few weeks after birth. Common symptoms include:
Infants
- Getting out of breath with feeds
- Getting sweaty with feeds
- Change in colour (bluish discoloration) inside the mouth (gums/tongue)
- Passing out
Toddlers/Children
- Sweating with activities earlier than other children
- The colour around the gums/tongue changes to blue
- Feeling short of breath with activity sooner than other children
- Passing out
- Unable to keep up physically with other children
Older children/teens
- Chest pain with exercise
- Suffering from shortness of breath with activity sooner than other children
- The colour around the gums/tongue changes to blue
- Sweat faster than other children with exercise or other activities
- Passing out
- Palpitations of the heart - skipping a beat or beating abnormally
- Dizziness while exercising
- Unable to keep up physically with other children
How is Heart Failure Diagnosed in a child?
The doctor will ask you about the child's symptoms and medical history. They will also do a physical examination and look for signs of heart failure. If they find any signs suggestive of heart failure, they may refer the child to a pediatric cardiologist (Child heart specialist). This doctor has specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of heart problems in children.
Heart failure tests can include:
- Blood and urine tests
- Chest X-ray: X-ray can show changes in the heart and lungs.
- Electrocardiography (ECG): An ECG can show changes in heart rate and rhythm
- Echocardiography (echo): Ultrasonic waves are used to study the movement of the heart chambers and valves. Echoes can indicate changes caused by heart failure.
- Heart catheterization: The doctor inserts a small flexible tube (catheter) into a vein and carries it to the heart. It measures the pressure and oxygen content in the heart.
Treatment For Heart Defects In Children:
Treatment of your child's heart condition depends on the cause of the problem. A few heart abnormalities will heal over time, and some can be treated with medication. A few, however, may require surgery or specialised procedures. And In some cases, the child may need a combination of treatments.
Surgery
Heart surgery can provide a lifelong cure for several heart diseases. It is usually performed by a cardiac surgeon. In certain conditions, surgery is delayed until the child is older, which is necessary for the repair and healing to be better. Sometimes, several operations may be needed, depending on the condition of the child. In very rare cases where surgery, procedure or medication does not help, the child may need a heart transplant.
How To Help a Child To Live With Heart Failure?
How well your child lives with heart failure depends on many factors, such as age, severity of symptoms and the treatment. Your child's doctor will check this periodically and regularly. Your child has to:
- Take medications regularly
- Follow lifestyle modifications as suggested by your doctor
- Set up a plan for a regular exercise program in consultation with your doctor
Conclusion:
Although heart failure can occur in any child, it is not always a hopeless condition. Many types of heart disease can be treated successfully. It is essential for parents and family members to understand the causes and treatment of heart failure, so as to be able to help their child better.
If parents provide adequate medical care, then the child will be active. Nowadays, newer techniques and medicines are available, and most children with heart failure are able to grow normally and live an active life.
Regular follow-ups with a
cardiologist and paediatrician is a must. For problems that are not related to their heart, they can continue to visit their regular doctor. If you are worried about your child, contact Premier Hospital for the best pediatricians and pediatric cardiologists.
Contact us at 040-23515100.
About Premier Hospital:
Since the inception of Premier Hospital in 1991 till today, we have grown to unprecedented levels, due to our excellence in medical sciences and healthcare. Premier Hospital is the creation of
Dr. Mahesh Marda and when it was first established, was only a small, 30-bed hospital facility. Back then, we provided only secondary care to patients, but that certainly has changed in the present landscape.
