Symptoms of congenital heart disease in newborns

Symptoms of congenital heart disease in newborns may include bluish lips, shortness of breath, and difficulty feeding. If parents find the above symptoms, they should immediately seek medical attention to check for abnormal heart structure and other problems. Congenital heart disease needs to be diagnosed and treated as early as possible to improve the child's quality of life.

1. Symptoms

Congenital heart disease in newborns is mainly manifested by hypoxemia and abnormal heart function. Bluish lips and fingertips are important signs of hypoxia; some children may experience rapid breathing or labored breathing due to insufficient heart pumping, especially when feeding, resulting in less feeding and slow weight gain; in severe cases, symptoms such as pallor, fatigue, and drowsiness may occur. These manifestations all indicate abnormal heart pumping function or blood oxygenation, and parents need to be vigilant.

2. Brief description of the cause

Congenital heart disease is mainly caused by abnormal development of the heart or large blood vessels during the embryonic period. Genetic factors such as family history may increase the risk; viral infections such as rubella in early pregnancy, drug effects, or metabolic abnormalities such as diabetes in older mothers may also induce it. Environmental exposure factors such as radiation exposure and environmental pollution are also potential risks.

3 How to diagnose

Doctors can initially detect abnormalities through a careful physical examination, such as a heart murmur during auscultation. Further diagnosis requires echocardiography, a non-invasive test used to directly observe the heart structure. Complex cases may require MRI and cardiac catheterization to help clarify the condition.

4 Treatment

Mild congenital heart disease, such as a partial atrial septal defect, can close on its own as the child grows without intervention. Moderate and severe cases require specific intervention:

Drug treatment: such as using the cardiotonic drug digoxin to improve heart function, the diuretic furosemide to relieve pulmonary edema and fluid retention, and prostaglandins to keep important blood vessels open.

Surgery: including congenital heart disease repair, atrial septum or ventricular septum repair, valvuloplasty or replacement, which should be decided according to individual pathological conditions.

Interventional treatment: Similar to the closure of atrial/ventricular septal defect, it is moderately traumatic, low-risk, and suitable for some cases.

5 Home Care Tips

During postoperative management, ensure that the child has a balanced diet and avoids colds and bacterial infections. Pay attention to the doctor's regular check-up arrangements and evaluate the recovery of heart function, such as regular electrocardiograms.

If you suspect that your newborn has congenital heart disease, parents should seek medical attention and receive professional guidance as soon as possible. Reasonable treatment can greatly improve the prognosis and help the baby grow up healthily.