Signs & Symptoms of a Baby With Heart Problems

Heart problems in infants are caused by congenital heart defects present at birth. Unless a heart defect is severe, it may not be diagnosed until adolescence or adulthood. Mild heart defects in infants can present no symptoms. Severe heart defects are usually detected during an ultrasound or shortly after birth., and can be fatal if not diagnosed and treated shortly after birth. Surgical and medical treatments to correct infant heart defects have high success rates. Knowing what signs and symptoms to look for in your infant can help detect heart problems early.

Signs and Symptoms

• When it comes to the heart, symptoms directly relate to oxygen, energy and body functions. Breathlessness, fast or heavy breathing, trouble breathing while crying or eating, excess sweating and blue or pale complexion are signs of oxygen deficiency. An infant with a heart problems will not grow at a normal rate; he will be underweight and lack appetite. Some infants with heart conditions will have abnormal blood pressure and pulse at the time of birth, alerting physicians to the problem immediately. If your baby seems to labor while breathing, eating or crying, turns blue when crying or eating or seems to have no appetite and isn't gaining weight, ask your pediatrician about checking for congenital heart defects.

Severe Symptoms

• Congenital heart defects are responsible for more infant deaths than any other birth defect. According to the National Institutes of Health, more than 35,000 babies in the United States are born with congenital heart defects each year.

  According to the Mayo Clinic, one of the most complex and rare congenital heart conditions is hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). Hypoplastic left heart syndrome refers to a critically underdeveloped left side of the heart. Babies with HLHS may become seriously ill shortly after birth. Signs of HLHS include, gray-blue skin color, rapid breathing, poor feeding and cold hands and feet. Babies with HLHS can go into shock. According to the Mayo Clinic, signs of shock include clammy pale gray skin, weak or rapid pulse, abnormal slow or shallow breathing and staring eyes with dilated pupils. A baby showing signs of a serious heart condition or shock needs immediate emergency medical care.

Seeking Treatment

• A University of Michigan study published online in the Journal of Pediatric Cardiology found that infants with specific complex heart defects are less likely to die if they're treated at a center that routinely treats large numbers of infants with congenital heart defects.

  Heart conditions with less obvious symptoms, like transposition of the great arteries (TGA), can be fatal in the first six months of life. TGA is a congenital condition where the major blood vessels leading between the heart and lungs are switched. Symptoms of TGA include, blue skin color, shortness of breath, lack of appetite and trouble gaining weight.