Heart problems in children
What is a pediatric heart condition?
Pediatric heart disease usually falls into two categories: congenital heart disease or defects present at birth, and acquired heart disease that develops as a child gets older.
What is a congenital heart defect?
Congenital heart defects (CHD) occur in about 1 in 100 newborn babies as a result of the heart or blood vessels around the heart not developing properly. These defects, which can be mild or severe, interfere with the heart's ability to function as it should.
In India, babies are screened for severe birth defects within 24 hours of birth. However, some congenital heart defects, such as atrial septal defects (holes in the heart's walls), can remain undiagnosed until adolescence or later.
A pediatric cardiologist says, "Detecting heart disease in children has been a top priority for the medical community since the invention of the stethoscope. In the current era, we have become more sophisticated in our methods of screening for heart disease, including prenatal detection of congenital heart defects and heart rhythm abnormalities."
Although you may hear that some doctors use congenital heart disease to refer to congenital heart disease, congenital heart defect is a more accurate term. Both phrases indicate the same thing.
Acquired heart disease
Acquired heart disease is the type we often associate with adults, but children and teens can also be affected by it. The most common acquired heart diseases in children are rheumatic heart disease and Kawasaki disease.
What is rheumatic heart disease?
Rheumatic heart disease is the most serious complication of rheumatic fever, which is a disease caused by the bacteria responsible for sore throats. Your child's immune system can produce antibodies to fight a streptococcus infection, but in some cases these antibodies can damage the heart valves, leading to rheumatic heart disease. Non-cardiac symptoms include joint pain and swelling. A rash on the torso or arms. Skin bumps on the wrist, elbows, or knees; And rapid limb movements. Fortunately, due to the availability of drugs to combat streptococcus, rheumatic heart disease is somewhat rare in India.
What is Kawasaki disease?
Kawasaki disease is a rare disease that primarily affects children and can cause inflammation of the blood vessels in their hands, feet, mouth, lips, and throat. It also results in a fever and swollen lymph nodes. Researchers aren't yet sure why.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA), disease is a leading cause of heart disease in up to 1 in 4 children. Most of them are under the age of five.
Treatment depends on the extent of the disease, but often includes prompt treatment with intravenous gamma globulin or aspirin (Bufferin). Corticosteroids can sometimes reduce future complications. Children with this disease often need lifelong follow-up appointments to monitor their heart health.
Symptoms of heart problems in children
A youngster with heart issues could possibly have clear side effects. Symptoms sometimes develop slowly, over time, such as when the child becomes gradually tired. This gradual onset can delay the diagnosis. Other times, there may be a clear and noticeable change that indicates a problem with the heart, such as an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). Symptoms of heart problems in children can vary according to the child's age
One in 100 babies has a heart problem, which may also be called a heart defect or congenital heart disease (present from birth). Heart defects can usually be treated with medication, surgery, or other medical procedures.
Most tests for heart problems are simple, quick, and painless. Most children with heart defects lead normal, full lives with very few or no restrictions.
Signs and symptoms
Many children with heart defects appear to be healthy and have no symptoms, and their parents are unaware that they have a heart problem. If babies do develop symptoms, they often appear in the first few weeks after they are born. Common symptoms include:
This is a list of the most common symptoms that may indicate a heart problem in children.
In most cases, babies with these symptoms do not have heart problems. For example, some babies naturally sweat more, and many children sweat while they sleep. The cause of palpitations may be caffeine. Dizziness may indicate that your child is not drinking enough fluids.
However, if your child has any of these symptoms, it is important to tell the pediatrician or primary care Paediatric Cardiologist near me. He or she will listen to your child's heart and perform a full medical evaluation, then decide if a referral to a pediatric cardiologist is appropriate.
Infants
- Breathe with feeds
- Turning blue inside the mouth (gums/tongue)
- Sweating with feedings
- Unconsciousness
Toddlers/Children
- Physically unable to keep up with other children
- Breathe with activity faster than other children
- Sweating with activity sooner than other children
- Turning blue around the gum/tongue
- Passing out
Older children/teens
- Physically unable to keep up with other children
- Breathe with activity faster than other children
- Sweating with exercise sooner than other children
- Turning blue around the gum/tongue
- Chest pain with exercise
- Passing out
- Heart palpitations - skipping or beating of the heart abnormally
- Dizziness with exercise
These symptoms are caused by an insufficient supply of oxygen to the body, which occurs because the blood does not contain the usual amount of oxygen, or the heart is not pumping as well as it should.
