Serious congenital heart defects are generally identified during pregnancy or soon after birth. Less severe defects aren't diagnosed until children are older. Minor defects often have no symptoms and are diagnosed based on results from a physical exam and special tests done for another reason.
During a physical exam, the doctor:
Looks for other signs of a heart defect, such as cyanosis (a bluish tint to the skin, lips, or fingernails), shortness of breath, rapid breathing, delayed growth, or signs of heart failure
An echocardiogram is an important test for both diagnosing a heart problem and following the problem over time. In children with congenital heart defects, an echocardiogram will outline the problems with the heart's structure and show how the heart is reacting to these problems. The echocardiogram will help your child's doctor decide if and when treatment is needed.
During pregnancy, if your doctor suspects that your baby has a congenital heart defect, a special test called a fetal echocardiogram can be done. This test uses sound waves to create a picture of the baby's heart while the baby is still in the womb. The test is usually done during the fourth or fifth month of pregnancy. If your child is diagnosed with a congenital heart defect before birth, your doctor can plan treatment before the baby is born.
EKG (Electrocardiogram)
An EKG detects and records the electrical activity of the heart. An EKG shows how fast the heart is beating and whether the heart's rhythm is steady or irregular. It can also detect if one of the heart's chambers is enlarged, which can help diagnose a heart problem.
Chest X Ray
A chest x ray takes a picture of the heart and lungs. It can show whether the heart is enlarged or whether the lungs have extra blood or fluid, which can be a sign of heart failure.
Pulse Oximetry
Pulse oximetry shows how much oxygen is in the blood. A sensor is placed on the child's fingertip or toe (like an adhesive bandage). The sensor is attached to a small computer unit, which displays a number that indicates how much oxygen is in the blood.
Cardiac Catheterization
During cardiac catheterization, a thin, flexible tube called a catheter is passed through a vein in the arm, groin (upper thigh), or neck to reach the heart. A dye that can be seen on an x ray is injected through the catheter into a blood vessel or a chamber of the heart. This allows the doctor to see the flow of blood through the heart and blood vessels. Cardiac catheterization also can be used to measure the pressure inside the heart and blood vessels and to determine whether blood is mixing between the two sides of the heart. It's also used to repair some heart defects.
Although many children with congenital heart defects don't need treatment, some do. Doctors treat congenital heart defects with:
Procedures Using Catheters
They have become the preferred way to repair many simple heart defects, such as:
Catheter procedures also are sometimes used during surgery to help repair complex defects.
Surgery
A child may need open-heart surgery if his or her heart defect can't be fixed using a catheter procedure. Sometimes, one surgery can repair the defect completely. If that's not possible, a child may need more than one surgery over a period of months or years to fix the problem.
Open-heart surgery may be done to:
ASD and VSD
Surgical closure of defect with patch or direct suture closure TOF: Surgical patch closure of VSD and relieving the right ventricular outflow tract. PDA: Closure of Duct. Fontan procedure: Redirection of blood flow to the lungs
Ongoing medical care is important for your child's health. This includes: