What are the symptoms of congenital heart disease in newborns?

The main symptoms of congenital heart disease in newborns include shortness of breath, cyanosis of lips and skin, difficulty feeding, slow weight gain, etc. Once these abnormalities are found, medical attention should be sought as soon as possible for a clear diagnosis and treatment.

1. Shortness of breath

Due to the abnormality of heart structure leading to obstruction of blood circulation and oxygen delivery, newborns may show abnormal breathing rhythm, significantly increased breathing rate, and even difficulty breathing. This is especially obvious when crying or feeding. If the newborn has repetitive breathing problems, parents need to take them to the doctor immediately, because this phenomenon may indicate serious heart dysfunction.

2Cyanosis of lips and skin

Newborns may have a bluish tint to their lips, face, fingers, or toes due to insufficient oxygen in the blood, a phenomenon called cyanosis. Cyanosis is often a sign of right-to-left shunt heart disease. This cyanosis is noticeable compared to a normal-skinned baby and may require immediate specialized heart testing, such as an echocardiogram.

3. Difficulty feeding and slow weight gain

Newborns with congenital heart disease may become particularly tired during feeding or eat less milk. This is because insufficient heart function causes excessive metabolic consumption and physical weakness. Due to increased calorie consumption, growth and development will be affected, and the weight of the newborn may increase slowly or even stagnate.

4. Palpitations, heart murmurs, or abnormal heartbeats

In some types of congenital heart disease, doctors may hear a heart murmur during a routine physical examination, which is caused by the chaotic sound of blood flowing in the heart. Some newborns may have problems with fast, slow or irregular heartbeats, all of which require further examination of the heart structure and function.

When a newborn is found to have the above symptoms, it is very important to seek medical attention in time. The doctor may use electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, chest X-ray and other methods to diagnose and determine the type and severity of heart disease. Mild congenital heart disease may only require regular checkups, while more serious types may require drug treatment or surgical intervention, such as atrial septal defect repair, aortic coarctation correction or patent ductus arteriosus ligation.

As mentioned above, the symptoms of congenital heart disease in newborns vary greatly from person to person. Parents need to pay close attention to their baby's daily performance. Timely medical treatment can buy valuable time for subsequent treatment. If any abnormality is observed, it is recommended to consult a pediatrician or cardiologist as soon as possible to ensure the health and safety of the newborn.