Types of heart disease in children

Heart disease not only seriously affects adults but also threatens the lives of children. There are many heart problems occurring in children such as congenital heart disease, viral infection, atherosclerosis, arrhythmia, low heart rate ...

The good news is that with the advancement of medicine, many children with heart disease are able to continue living normal lives.

Congenital heart disease

Child congenital heart disease (or congenital heart defects) are deformities of the heart that occur from the early days of the fetus. In the United States, an estimated 1% of babies born each year have congenital heart disease.

Congenital heart disease affects children and causes:

Heart valve disorders, such as aortic stenosis, limit blood flow.

Heart failure syndrome makes the heart less developed.

Ventricular septal defect.

Atrial defects.

And the ductus arteriosus.

In addition, congenital heart disease also causes Fallot's Quadruple Disease, a disease of four defects in the heart:

Ventricular septal: there is a hole between the ventricles.

Pulmonary funnel stenosis: obstruction of blood flow from the right ventricle.

Right ventricular hypertrophy: the right ventricle is larger and thicker.

The aorta is located on the ventricular wall: the aorta fuses blood from both ventricles because the aorta is located just above the ventricular opening.

Congenital heart defects can have lasting effects on a child's health. They usually require treatment with surgery, medication and, more seriously, a heart transplant. Some children require lifelong follow-up and treatment.

Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is the term used to describe the buildup of fatty plaques and cholesterol in the arteries. As the buildup increases, the arteries harden and narrow, increasing the risk of blood clots and heart attack. Usually it takes years for atherosclerosis to develop.

However, obesity , diabetes , high blood pressure and other health problems put children at higher risk. If the child's family has a history of heart disease, diabetes, overweight, and obesity, the child's risk of atherosclerosis is also very high.

For treatment, the child needs lifestyle changes such as increasing exercise and adjusting the diet.

Arrhythmia

Arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat will make the heart less efficient to pump blood.

Many different types of heart arrhythmias can occur in children:

Fast heart beat

Bradycardia (slow heart rate)

Long QT syndrome (LQTS)

Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome (WPW syndrome)

Symptoms can include:

Weak

Tired

Dizziness

Fainting

Difficult to eat

Treatments depend on the type of arrhythmia and how well the child affects their health.

Kawasaki disease

This is a rare disease that primarily affects children and can cause inflammation in the blood vessels of the hands, feet, mouth, lips, and throat. It also causes fever and swelling in the lymph nodes.

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), Kawasaki is the main cause of childhood heart disease, affecting about 4,000 children each year in the US, especially children under 5 years old.

Treatment for Kawasaki disease depends on the severity of the disease, but prompt treatment with an intravenous injection of immunostimulating gamma globulin, aspirin and corticosteroids is required to prevent possible complications. Children with this disease often have lifelong monitoring of cardiovascular health.

Heart murmur

The heart murmur is produced by turbulent blood flow in the heart. These sounds usually appear in the middle of a heartbeat. Heart murmur is quite common in young children. These sounds may be harmless and require no treatment. However, in some cases, this is an indication of underlying valve disease.

The heart murmur can be caused by birth defects, fever or anemia. If the doctor hears an abnormal heart murmur in the child, they will perform tests to make sure the heart is healthy.

Pericarditis

This happens when the pouch or thin membrane that surrounds the heart (the pericardium) becomes inflamed or becomes infected. The amount of fluid between the lining and the heart increases, impairing the heart's ability to pump blood.

Pericarditis can occur after congenital heart surgery, infection caused by bacteria, from a chest injury, or from a connective tissue disorder.

Treatment methods depend on the severity of the disease, the age and overall health of the patient.

Low heart

When children are infected with streptococcus bacteria that cause sore throats, fever, and without timely treatment, they will suffer from rheumatism.

Low heart will permanently damage the heart's valves and heart muscle. The disease usually occurs in children 5–15 years old, but its symptoms usually appear only 10–20 years after illness.

This disease can be prevented with prompt treatment of streptococcal infection with antibiotics.

Viral infection

In addition to causing respiratory illness or the flu, the virus also affects the health of the heart. Viral infections can cause myocarditis and affect the heart's ability to pump blood throughout the body.

Viral infections of the heart are very rare and present only a few symptoms. Their symptoms resemble those of the flu and include fatigue, shortness of breath, and chest discomfort.

Treatment of a viral heart is largely through medication and symptomatic treatment.