Question
What should I do if my newborn is diagnosed with a heart condition? If a newborn is diagnosed with a heart disease now, will it heal itself during the growth process? How should it be treated in the future? What precautions should I take in daily life? Thank you.
Answer
The earlier congenital heart disease is discovered, the less severe the condition tends to be. Heart diseases detected immediately after birth are usually more severe, with the baby’s weight often not meeting standard. Symptoms may appear as early as in the obstetric hospital. It’s clear to anyone who sees it; congenital heart disease patients have skin that is not the typical pink of newborns but rather shows a bluish tint. This blue appearance is not always visible and only occurs when the child cries. These children breathe rapidly, cannot consume much milk, and quickly spit out the nipple. Even without the blue tint, severe heart disease symptoms include increased respiratory effort and very little milk intake. If these symptoms are present, the doctor will use a stethoscope to listen to the heart. At this point, an unusual murmur may be heard. Chest X-ray imaging can also reveal abnormal heart shape. Congenital heart disease is present from birth, so it is believed that symptoms are present from that day on, but this is not always the case. Symptoms may appear within one week of birth, but generally, they appear within three months.