Symptoms of Congenital Structural Heart Disease
Spot the congenital heart disease symptoms in babies and teens, from breathing trouble and slow growth to bluish skin, and know when to see a doctor.
Structural heart disease usually develops before a person is born. Symptoms can even appear while the baby is still in the womb, or there may be no symptoms at all until the child is a few years old. Structural heart disease can also occur in adults.
Causes in adults include existing conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, among many others. It can also result from a heart attack or from aging.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Congenital Structural Heart Disease
In babies still in the womb, signs of congenital structural heart disease can be detected during an ultrasound. Babies with a heart defect usually show arrhythmia, or an irregular heartbeat.
Even so, an ultrasound does not always detect congenital heart disease. In some cases, symptoms only appear after the baby is born. Signs that your baby may have congenital heart disease include:
- Your baby has trouble breathing and tires easily while feeding.
- Your baby is growing slowly.
- Your baby weighs less than is normal for their age.
- Your baby often breaks out in a cold sweat.
- There is swelling around the eyes, belly and legs.
- The lips, fingers or skin have a dark or bluish tinge.
- Repeated lung infections can also be a symptom of congenital structural heart disease in babies.
Many of the symptoms above may not appear until your child is a few years old. In teenagers with congenital heart disease, there are other warning signs to watch for, such as:
- Arrhythmia, or an irregular heartbeat.
- Swelling, or edema, in the hands, feet or ankles.
- Frequent dizziness and tiring quickly during exercise.
- Cyanosis, or skin that looks bluish.
- Fainting very easily.
- Frequent difficulty breathing, or sometimes panting for breath.
When Should You See a Doctor?
If your child has already been diagnosed with congenital heart disease, take them for regular checkups with a cardiologist. Follow the doctor's advice: if the doctor recommends a checkup every 6 months, stick to that schedule.
If your child has never been diagnosed but shows any of the symptoms above, see a specialist right away. The doctor will take a medical history and run other tests to determine the exact condition of your child's heart.
One healthcare facility you can visit for a heart checkup is Heartology Cardiovascular Center. This dedicated heart facility offers a range of services related to heart disease, including affordable medical checkups. With the right examination, the symptoms of congenital structural heart disease can be well managed, which may improve your quality of life.
