Serious congenital heart defects are usually diagnosed in infancy, but significant defects may be found anytime during childhood, teenage years or even in adulthood.
If your child shows any of the following symptoms that are commonly related to congenital heart defects, please consult your paediatric cardiologist for a proper diagnostic evaluation.
These include:
• Breathing difficulties
• Poor weight gain
• Frequent chest infections
• Blueness of the fingers, lips and tongue (cyanosis)
With technological advancement in medicine, an increasing number of congenital heart diseases can be treated non-surgically in the cardiovascular laboratory using small tubes called “catheters” which are inserted via the groin. This includes the treatment of narrowed valves or vessels and closure of some types of holes in the heart and unwanted vessels.
In some cases of congestive heart failure and irregular heart rhythm, surgery may not be needed. Many medical treatments are available to help the heart work properly.
