One of the most important organs in the human body is the heart. Sadly, it is estimated that 40,000 babies are born in the US every year with a congenital heart defect (CHD). It’s still one of the primary causes of infant mortality during their first year of life. Many of us are unaware of the cause of heart defects which is why the week of February 7th through 14th is designated Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. During this period of time, many individuals and organizations focus on raising awareness of this issue along with educating as many people as possible about CHD.
What are Congenital Heart Defects?
Congenital heart defects (also called heart disease) refer to problems within the structure of the heart that are present when a child is born. Abnormalities of this type typically occur when the blood vessels or heart fail to form properly while the fetus is in the womb. Approximately, 8 out of every 1,000 American infants are born every with some type of heart defect. The term “congenital” is defined as a “problem that exists or is present at birth.” Some can be remodified surgically while others need to be endured with medical treatment.
Symptoms of Congenital Heart Defects
There are two categories of congenital heart defect symptoms. The more serious defects are usually noticed at birth, soon after, or during the infant’s first 2 or 3 months of life. The less serious defects are typically diagnosed later on in childhood. The symptoms of each type include:
Serious symptoms:
- cyanosis (pale blue or gray skin color)
- rapid breathing
- shortness of breath when feeding (often leads to poor weight gain)
- swelling in the areas around the eyes, legs, or stomach
Less serious symptoms:
- easily tiring during activities and exercise
- fainting during activities or while exercising
- shortness of breath during activities and exercise
- swelling of the ankles, feet, or hands
If you notice that your infant son or daughter has any of the above signs or symptoms, we encourage you to contact your child’s pediatrician immediately. It is important to seek medical attention and diagnosis as early as possible.
Diagnosing Congenital Heart Defects
Pediatric cardiologists will use different diagnostic imaging tests to diagnose CHD both before and after birth. Some of the more common tests include:
- cardiac catheterization
- chest X-ray
- echocardiogram
- electrocardiogram (EKG)
- fetal ultrasound
- heart magnetic resonance imaging (cardiac MRI)
- pulse oximetry (measures oxygen saturation in the blood)
In most cases of congenital heart defects, treatment involves medications or surgical procedures. For more information about the use of diagnostic imaging in congenital heart defect cases, call Vital Imaging today at (305) 596-9992.