What Causes Congenital Heart Disease in Babies
What is Congenital Heart Disease?
Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is a structural defect present at birth and could be detected before or after baby's birth or anytime during ones life. It is the most common birth defect with an estimated 1 in 100 births with a Congenital Heart Disease. The symptoms, treatment, care and long term prognosis is based on the type and severity of the defect.
Congenital Heart Disease Types
Congenital (present at birth) Heart Defects are of many types, some of the more common ones are:
Septal Defects or what we commonly call as "hole in the heart", are openings in the wall (septum) that separates the left and the right side of the heart (like ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect)
Valve Defects, affecting the way blood flows through the heart
Blood Vessel Defects, affecting the blood flow in and out of the heart
Based on how the heart defects affect the oxygen level in the body they are broadly categorized into two types Cyanotic ( lowers oxygen level) or Acyanotic (no impact on oxygen level). The above defects fall under one of these categories.
Related: Ventricular Septal Defects, Down Syndrome
Congenital Heart Disease Causes
Researcher's and Doctor's are not completely certain as to what causes it but some of the congenital heart disease risk factors include
Genetics: CHDs inherited from family, genetic mutations or abnormal chromosomes
Maternal Health: Mother's health at the time of pregnancy (infections, diabetes, medications, recreational drugs, alcohol, smoking, etc.)
Environmental Factors: Exposure to smoke, certain chemical, air pollutants.
Down's syndrome: Genetic disorder affecting baby's normal physical and mental development.
Congenital Heart Disease Symptoms
Not all CHDs will have symptoms if mild and may go undetected into adulthood and ones that do, usually show symptoms few weeks after birth. Some of the signs and symptoms to look out for:
Rapid or difficult breathing
Rapid heartbeat or weak pulse
Difficulty feeding due to rapid breathing
Excess fatigue or tiredness
Blue tinge on lips, fingernails or tongue in case of cyanotic CHD
Swelling in legs, hands, belly or around the eyes
Heart murmur or unusual swishing sound between heartbeats
Congenital Heart Disease Diagnosis
Congenital heart defects may be detected during pregnancy ultrasound scans or due to signs and symptoms right after birth (like cyanotic CHD) and in some cases they are diagnosed later as the symptoms appear
Tests used to diagnose CHDs:
Physical Exam: Doctors listen to the heart for any abnormal sounds or murmur
Echocardiogram or Echo: Is an ultrasound scan that uses sound waves to create the images of the heart to help look for any anomalies
Electrocardiogram or ECG/EKG: Measures the electrical activity of the heart that helps to determine the rate, strength, timing and rhythm of the heartbeat.
X-Rays: Detects any structural issues or changes in heart and lungs/fluid build up due to heart defects.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging or MRI: Produces detailed pictures of the heart showing the chambers, valves, muscles and how well the heart is working and any defects.
Congenital Heart Disease Treatment
Treatment depends on the type and severity of the heart defect. Some defects like small holes in the heart may heal on their own, few may remain and may need no medical intervention but managed with regular follow ups, while others may be serious or life threatening and need surgery/ies or immediate medical help.
Everyone child diagnosed with a heart defect should immediately see a paediatric cardiologist or a heart specialist for their treatment plan, long term prognosis and support. Strictly follow everything and anything that your doctor suggests you to do.
Treatment Plan may include:
Medications like diuretics to manage the disease and lessen the load on the heart
Non surgical interventions using a device to close a hole using a patch
Open heart surgery / surgeries based on the type and severity of the defect
Wait and watch and frequent check ups in case of minor defects
The list above is for informational purpose only and your treatment plan may or may not include any of the above. Based on your child's diagnosis and current situation your doctor may suggest a treatment plan best suited for you. Please talk to your doctor for specifics of your child's treatment plan.
Congenital Heart Disease Prevention
Most congenital heart defects do not have a known cause or cannot be linked to a specific cause with certainty. But we can take a few precautions to reduce the risk
Always strictly follow all the instructions your doctor gives during pregnancy
Take your vitamins and medications if any on time as prescribed by your doctor
Avoid use of any recreational drugs, smoking, alcohol or places known to expose you to second hand smoke
Follow a healthy lifestyle, exercise (approved by your doctor) and eat nutritious food to aid good fetal development
Get the recommended screening tests to detect any fetal defects early in pregnancy
Congenital Heart Disease Outlook
The outlook for most congenital heart disease with mild or moderate defects is really good if diagnosed in time. With the advances in medicine and new technologies there is a lot of hope for even the severe and life threatening heart defects compared to before. The survival rates for children growing into adulthood with congenital heart disease is up to 90% from 10 % just a decade ago. Most children go on to lead a good and fulfilling lives with right care and support. Long term prognosis depends on the type, complexity and severity of the heart defect, so please talk to your doctor and keep all your appointments to get timely care and intervention.
When to see the doctor?
If your child is diagnosed with Congenital Heart Disease, please follow all the instructions from your doctor without fail. See a doctor immediately if you suspect your child has a heart issue or if your paediatrician suggests you see one.
Some of the symptoms to look out for
Troubled breathing or shortness of breath
Rapid heartbeat
Difficulty feeding due to rapid breathing or refuses to feed
Blue lips, fingernails, tongue
Baby looks very fatigue or sleeping more than usual
Showing signs of dehydration (dry skin, lips, sunken eyes and soft spot)