Virtual Children's Hospital: CQQA: Congenital Heart Disease

Pediatrics Common Questions, Quick Answers

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD)

Donna D'Alessandro, M.D.
Lindsay Huth, B.A.
Peer Review Status: Internally Reviewed
Creation Date: February 2002
Last Revision Date: April 2002

Common Questions, Quick Answers

How should the heart work?

The heart is a muscle.
It has two chambers and four valves.
The heart pushes out oxygen rich blood. The blood travels through the body then comes back to the heart for more oxygen.
The process starts all over again.

What is congenital heart disease?

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is when a baby is born with a birth defect in his heart. Part of his heart does not work right.
It has difficulty pumping blood and oxygen throughout the body.

What causes it?

CHD is caused by a heart defect. There are many different kinds of defects.
Doctors do not always know what caused the defect.
Certain conditions during pregnancy place the baby at higher risk for CHD:
If a mother has a viral infection during pregnancy, such as rubella (German Measles).
If a mother uses certain medications during pregnancy.
Drinking alcohol, smoking, and using cocaine during pregnancy places the baby at higher risk.
Pregnant mothers with certain illnesses (such as diabetes) are more likely to have babies with CHD. The doctor can help these mothers reduce the risk.

Who can get it?

CHD may run in families. If a parent has CHD, the children are more likely to have it. If a child has CHD, his brother or sister is more likely to have it.
Children with Down's syndrome often have CHD.
Certain conditions during pregnancy place babies at high risk for CHD. See "Causes" above.

What are the signs and symptoms?

In some cases, the doctor can use an ultrasound (looking at the unborn baby using a computer screen) to see if the baby has a heart defect.
Some babies don't have symptoms because their defect is so small. These children may be diagnosed later in life.
Some babies are diagnosed when the doctor hears that the child's heart is not pumping right. The sound is called a murmur.
Murmurs are not always a sign that there is a heart defect.
A child with CHD may have trouble breathing, especially during exercise.
The child may tire easily and may even faint from physical activity.
The child may often squat to breathe easier.
They may have trouble sucking and not be able to gain weight.
The child's legs, stomach, and eyes may swell.
The skin, fingernails, and lips may be a bluish color because the child is not getting enough oxygen. This is called "cyanosis."
Children with CHD are at high risk for a heart infection.

How is it treated?

Can it be prevented?

Most defects cannot be prevented.
A woman can take steps to improve her baby's chances of being born without a defect.
Before pregnancy, a woman should be tested for rubella and vaccinated if needed.
Pregnant women should avoid drugs and alcohol.
Women with chronic health conditions should talk to their doctors before getting pregnant. Medication and diet may need to be changed.
Genetic counselors can sometimes tell parents what their chances are of having a baby with a heart defect.

When should I call the doctor?

Call the doctor if your child with a heart defect needs dental surgery or other surgery. He may need to take antibiotics before the surgery to help prevent infection.
Call the doctor if your child shows symptoms of a heart defect.
Call the doctor if you have questions or concerns about your child's condition or treatment.

Quick Answers

The heart is a muscle that pumps oxygen rich blood to the rest of the body.
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is when a baby is born with a birth defect in his heart.
Doctors do not always know what caused the defect.
CHD may run in families. Children with Down's syndrome often have it. Certain conditions during pregnancy place babies at higher risk.
CHD can be diagnosed before birth, at birth, or early in life. Babies with very small defects may not have symptoms. These children may be diagnosed later in life.
Treatment choices include surgery, medicine, or different electrical devices.
Most defects cannot be prevented, but a woman can take steps to improve her baby's chances of being born without a defect.
Call the doctor if your child shows symptoms of a heart defect.

References

HeartCenterOnline. Congenital Heart Disease. (cited 2002 January 22). Available from: URL: http://www.heartcenteronline.com/myheartdr/common/artprn_rev.cfm?filename=&ARTID=289
March of Dimes. Congenital Heart Defects. 1999 (cited 2002 January 18). Available from: URL: http://www.modimes.org/HealthLibrary2/FactSheets/Congenital_heart_defects.htm
MEDLINEplus. Internal View of the Heart. 2000 January 2 (cited 2002 January 18).
Texas Heart Institute. Congenital Heart Disease. 1998 June (cited 2002 January 18). Available from: URL: http://www.tmc.edu/thi/congenit.html

http://www.vh.org/pediatric/patient/pediatrics/cqqa/congenitalhrtdisease.html