3 Heart Diseases That Stall Children
Who said that heart disease can only be experienced by adults? In fact, children are also susceptible to this disease. In fact, heart defects can be experienced by children while still in the womb. Many experts believe that heart disease in children can be caused by genetics and infections.
Parents who have a history of heart disease are more likely to pass the disease on to their children compared to parents who do not have a history of heart disease.
At 4 weeks of gestation, the fetal heart will form a single sac structure which will gradually enlarge in the eighth week. While still in the womb the flow of oxygen and carbon dioxide will pass through the placenta, so that heart defects that occur at that time will not cause problems for the baby.
Heart defects in babies will be seen after the baby is born and the placenta is cut. Generally, this heart abnormality is characterized by the appearance of noises (murmurs) when the baby breathes, abnormally fast heartbeats, difficulty suckling due to short breaths, growth disorders, and blue skin (cyanotic).
While other causes are infections caused by rubella, toxic substances, alcohol, and certain drugs. Well, here are some heart diseases that can lurk in children:
Congenital Heart Disorder
Congenital heart disease or congenital heart disease is a birth defect in the fetus that occurs due to abnormal embryonic development. This condition generally occurs in 8 out of every 1000 births. These babies usually have problems with structures such as:
- There is a heart leak due to a hole in the heart septum.
- Mitral valve stenosis.
In addition, other forms of congenital heart disease that you need to be aware of are:
- Heart failure which causes a part of the heart that is not fully developed.
- Tetralogy of Fallot, which is a combination of four other syndromes namely pulmonary embolism, ventricular septal abnormalities, aortic equestrian, and right ventricular hypertrophy.
Atherosclerosis
This heart disorder occurs due to the formation of plaque from fat and cholesterol in the arteries. When plaque builds up, blood vessels become stiff and narrow, making you more at risk for blood clots and eventually a heart attack. This is a long-term condition and often goes undetected.
Actually, children rarely get this disease. However, they will be at risk if they have obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other health conditions. If your child is overweight and obese, or if your family has a history of heart disease and diabetes, your child will be advised to have their cholesterol and blood pressure checked regularly.
Kawasaki Disorder
This heart disease is relatively rare, its appearance is characterized by inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body, such as in the arms, hands, mouth, lips, and throat. Other symptoms include fever and swollen lymph nodes. Unfortunately, the cause of this disease is still unclear. You could say Kawasaki disease is one of the most common heart diseases in children. As many as 1 in 5 children who experience heart disease is due to Kawasaki disease and most of them are under 5 years of age.