Congenital heart disease is one of the health problems whose symptoms may appear during childhood, depending on the size of the defect in the formation of the heart. What are the symptoms of heart disease in children? How is it diagnosed?

Congenital heart diseases in children are among the common health problems that range in severity of symptoms and time of detection depending on the degree of damage to the child''s heart during its formation. Continue reading the following article to learn more about the symptoms of heart disease in children:

Symptoms of heart disease in children

The heart of the fetus begins to form in the womb during the sixth week of pregnancy, so the occurrence of any abnormality at this stage leads to the formation of congenital defects in the heart of the child, which leads to the emergence of many symptoms, some of which can be noticed immediately after birth or during childhood when the child begins to play and exercise. various activities. Here are the most prominent symptoms of heart disease in children:

1. Symptoms of heart disease in children after birth

The following symptoms begin to appear immediately after the birth of the child or during the first months of his life as a result of the presence of significant damage to the heart, and they include the following:

The appearance of the child''s skin, nails and lips in a pale bluish color, which indicates a poor supply of oxygen-rich blood to the body.

The child''s breathing rate.

Note the swelling of the legs, abdomen and the area around the eyes as a result of fluid retention in the child''s body.

The child''s inability to breastfeed continuously as a result of the increased breathing rate, which leads to his not gaining weight at the normal rate and obtaining food well.

2. Symptoms of heart disease in children during childhood

Symptoms of heart disease appear in children during childhood, usually in the event of a congenital defect of a slight degree, and the symptoms are as follows:

The child stops breathing quickly when playing sports or various physical activities, such as: playing, in addition to quickly feeling tired.

The child''s feeling of exhaustion and extreme fatigue continuously.

Fainting during physical activities.

Note the swelling of the legs, ankles and hands as a result of fluid retention in the body.

Diagnosis of heart disease in children

Heart diseases can be diagnosed in the fetus before birth, and in the event that parents notice the emergence of symptoms of heart disease in infants and older children, in the following ways:

Echocardiogram: An echocardiogram can be done for a fetus in the womb or in older children, and is used to detect abnormalities in the heart muscles and valves.

Electrocardiogram: An electrocardiogram detects any abnormality in the nature and rate of the heartbeat.

Chest X-ray: A chest x-ray to diagnose an enlarged heart muscle, a deformity in its shape, or fluid gathering around the lung, which indicates heart muscle failure. Magnetic resonance imaging can also be used in older children and adolescents to obtain images of higher accuracy.

Cardiac catheterization: The doctor may resort to a cardiac catheterization of the child in case the need to know the diagnosis more accurately, and cardiac catheterization enables the doctor to treat the child in some cases.

Complications of heart disease in children

Although it is possible for children with heart disease to practice most of their activities normally, this is difficult in some cases of severe heart disease, in which the child may suffer long-term negative health effects. We mention the following, the most prominent complications of heart disease in children:

The child’s physical and mental development is delayed as a result of the lack of oxygen-rich blood that reaches the brain, in addition to the possibility of the child being exposed to anemia, which may lead to difficulty integrating him with children of his age.

Increasing the child''s exposure to various diseases, most notably: pneumonia and endocarditis.

High pressure in the arteries that connect the lungs to the heart in a child (Pulmonary hypertension).

An imbalance in the heart rate, either by slowing it down or increasing it from the normal rate.

Failure of the heart muscle to pump blood properly, and it may be noticed immediately after birth or it may occur with age as a complication of a congenital heart disease that the child suffers from.

Increase the chance of exposure to blood clots, which may lead to pulmonary and heart attacks or strokes.