Heart disease in children can be congenital or acquired in origin, although mostare congenital and already exist at birth. Antenatal diagnosis of congenital heartdefects is pissible beacause the heart starts forming agrer two monts of gestation.6 to 8 in 1,000 babies have it birth.
In the majority of cases (90%), the cause is unknown, and is probably related to
gene-environment interaction, while 5/8% is ralated to genetics disorders, and 2% are environmental factors because of antenatal rubella infection, certain drugs andgestational diabetes mellitus.
Ventricular and atrial septal defects, patent ductus arteriosus, tetralogy of Fallot,Transposition of great arteries and stenotic heart valves are example of congenital heartdisease.
On the other hand, Kawasaki disease, rheumatic heart disease, myocarditis, and cardiomyopathiesare examples of acquired heart disease. unlike adult heart patients, children with heart diseaseseldom die suddenly from it. The common symptoms include cardiac murmurs, poor growth, loss of appetite,tiredness and breathlessness resulting from even lighy activities, recurrent chest infections,swelling of the face and limbs, and cyanosis.
Medical consultation is required if any of these features occurs. Most heart conditions can becorrected through medical treatment or surgery. Since the 1900s, the Department of Paediaticsand Adolescent Medicine, HKU LKS Faculty of Medicine, had successfully used catheter intervention to treatdifferent types of congenital heart diseases, including septal defects and stenoticheart valves.
The treatment does not leave scars on the patient, is less invasive, and the patient stays a shorter time in hospital.
Extract from the health feature by University of Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Mediacal Health News
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