Pediatric Congenital Heart Disease

Pediatric congenital heart disease is a defect of the heart that has developed within the womb. It can range in severity from a minor opening within the walls of the heart itself to a missing portion of the organ. And though not all defects pose an issue for an infant, it's always important to monitor the health of your child, as certain defects may not make themselves known until much later in life.

Genetics

• While the reason why some children are born with congenital heart disease is still unknown, there are factors that can play a role in their development. Of all the causes of heart defects, genetics is one of the main culprits. This is largely because many cases of pediatric congenital heart disease not only run in families, but are also linked to certain disorders, such as Down syndrome, Noonan syndrome and Marfan syndrome.

Other Contributing Factors

• Besides heredity or genetics, it's also possible for certain substances, medications and illnesses affecting the mother to cause these types of conditions. Alcohol is probably one of the more common contributing factors, but a heart defect may also develop out of the use of prescription drugs, like isotretinoin or lithium. Diabetes can also lead to a heart defects in children. Even something like rubella can trigger a heart defect.

Symptoms

• Since there are a wide array of defects that can affect the heart, symptoms will vary greatly from child to child. But one of the more common, regardless of the defect, is a respiratory problem, manifesting as a shortness of breath, especially during times of physical exertion. A heart defect may also cause a discoloration of the skin (usually bluish in hue), swelling of the hands or feet and poor weight gain.

Complications

• Though not all cases of pediatric congenital heart disease are serious, there's always the potential for complications to arise, especially in more severe defects. With many heart defects, your child will experience slowed growth. For others, learning to walk and talk may be delayed. It may even cause certain emotional side effects. And in much more critical defects, irregular heartbeats, heart failure and death is possible.

Treatment

• As with almost any condition that affects the body, treatment is often dictated by the type of defect affecting the heart. For some, no treatment is necessary, as the defect itself will "clear up" on its own. For others, a surgery is frequently needed to correct the abnormality and allow the heart and vascular system to function as normal. Medications may only be needed for minor defects while heart transplants may be required in severely damaged hearts.