CHD Awareness Week, February 7-14 SIGNS and SYMPTOMS: Parents should be alert to the following symptoms in infancy:       * Tires easily during feeding (i.e. falls asleep before feeding finishes ) Sweating around the head, especially during feeding Fast breathing when at rest or sleeping Pale or bluish skin color Poor weight gain Sleeps a lot - not playful or curious for any length of time   Puffy face, hands, and/or feet  Often irritable, difficult to console Some children with CHDs may not have any symptoms until later in childhood.                                      Things to look for include:                                                                                                      * Gets out of breath during play                                                               Difficulty "keeping up" with playmates Tires easily/sleeps a lot Change in color during active play or sports (looks pale or has a bluish tint around mouth and nose) Frequent colds and respiratory illnesses Slow growth and weight gain/poor appetite Complains of chest pain and/or heart pounding Information gathered and shared courtesy of The Congenital Heart Information Network

The American Heart Association answers : What is a congenital heart defect(CHD)? Congenital heart defects are structural problems with the heart and great vessels present at birth.  Are CHDs always diagnosed at birth? No. These defects are usually but not always diagnosed early in life. Who is at risk to have a child with a congenital heart defect? Anyone can have a child with a congenital heart defect. Recent statistics claim 1 out of 108 babies are born with a CHD, most of which are mild. So what does it all really mean? Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defect and are the number one cause of death from birth defects during the first year of life. Nearly twice as many children die from congenital heart disease in the United States each year as die from all forms of childhood cancers combined. Over 91,000 life years are lost each year in the US due to congenital heart disease. Charges for care exceed 2.2 billion dollars, for inpatient surgery alone.* Are things improving? Overall mortality has significantly declined over the past few decades. For example, in the 1960s and 1970s the risk of dying following congenital heart surgery was about 30% and today it is around 5%.* How well can people with congenital heart defects function? Virtually all children with simple defects survive into adulthood. Although exercise capacity may be limited, most people lead normal or nearly normal lives. For more complex lesions, limitations are common. Some children with congenital heart disease have developmental delay or other learning difficulties.* What is the impact of congenital heart disease on families? The presence of a serious congenital heart defect often results in an enormous emotional and financial strain on young families at a very vulnerable time. Patient/family education is an important part of successful coping.* *The American Heart Association, 2008 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PULSE of PA. Disclaimer: The intention of this website is to give interested individuals and parents of children with congenital heart disorders some basic information.  PULSE of PA, PULSE of America, personnel are not doctors or medical personnel.  In no way should any information found on this site be a substitute to professional medical care or attention from a qualified practitioner nor should it be inferred as such.  ALWAYS check with a medical professional if you have any questions or concerns about any diagnosis, symptoms, or treatments. Site maintained and created by Mary Ellen Mannix, PULSE of PA, a chapter of PULSE of America a 501c3 organization. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________