What is Infant congenital heart disease?

Congenital heart disease is a general term for a range of birth defects that affect the normal way the heart works. The term “congenital” means the condition is present from birth. Congenital heart disease is one of the most common types of birth defect, affecting almost 1 in 100 babies born in the UK.

What is the most common congenital heart problem affecting newborns?

The most common type of heart defect is a ventricular septal defect (VSD).

What causes heart problems in newborn babies?

Some babies have heart defects because of changes in their individual genes or chromosomes. CHDs also are thought to be caused by a combination of genes and other factors, such as things in the environment, the mother’s diet, the mother’s health conditions, or the mother’s medication use during pregnancy.

What are the two types of congenital heart disease?

Types of congenital heart defects include: aortic stenosis. atrial septal defect (ASD)

What causes congenital heart disease in newborns?

How is CHD diagnosed?

Congenital heart disease may initially be suspected during a routine ultrasound scan of the baby in the womb. Specialist ultrasound, called foetal echocardiography, will then be carried out at around 18 to 22 weeks of the pregnancy to try to confirm the exact diagnosis.

How is congenital heart disease diagnosed?

What is the treatment of congenital heart disease?

Serious congenital heart defects require treatment soon after they’re diagnosed. Treatment may involve medications, heart procedures or surgeries, or a heart transplant.

Can you live a normal life with congenital heart disease?

Many people with a CHD live independent lives. Some people with a heart defect have little or no disability. For others, disability might increase or develop over time. People with a heart defect might also have genetic problems or other health conditions that increase the risk for disability.

How is congenital heart disease detected?

Can a baby live with a heart defect?

For infants with critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs), survival up to one year of life has improved over time. However, the chance of these infants dying is still high.

Can babies with CHD live a normal life?

As children transition to adult health care, it is important to notify any new healthcare provider(s) about the child’s CHD. Ongoing appropriate medical care for their specific heart defect will help children and adults with a CHD to live as healthy a life as possible.

Do cardiac babies sleep more?

The heart must pump faster to meet the body’s needs. The body’s metabolism is also faster under these conditions. Your child needs extra calories to maintain weight and grow. Your child may become tired quickly since the body is working harder under the stress of the heart defect.

Can you live with congenital heart disease?

Thriving with Congenital Heart Disease For the first time, more adults are living with congenital heart disease than children. All told, 9 out of 10 children born with a heart defect now survive into adulthood thanks to advances in surgical techniques and better medical care in general.