-Contributed by Tanisha Patil

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are diseases of the heart's structure that occur when the baby is still in the womb. Most people who suffer from congenital heart defects live full life expectancies. Their condition is perfectly treatable if diagnosed well in time and given congenital heart defect treatments. The difference in life expectancy between normal children and those born with congenital heart defects is the congenital heart defects treatment.

What are Congenital Heart Defects in Infants?

Congenital heart defect (CHD) is a general term used for congenital diseases affecting the heart structure. The defects vary from a mild condition such as a slight hole in the heart, which might disappear with age, to severe life-threatening conditions. CHDs are the most common birth defects, and the rate of infant deaths caused by it is one of the highest. CHD is a common birth defect as it can be caused in any child, irrespective of their ethnicity, sex or nationality, even in children that have healthy parents. CHD is categorized into mild and severe defects based on the complexity of condition and the possible outcomes if the congenital defects are not treated in time; mild congenital heart defects require only regular check-ups, while the severe condition requires multiple procedures.

To identify the congenital heart defects in infants, healthcare professionals monitor the various signs and symptoms that might depict the condition. These symptoms can include rapid or labored respiration rate, sluggish feeding (bottle or breastfeeding) due to fatigue, bluish discoloration of the skin, lips, and nails and excessive sleepiness or irritability. There is also a regular examination conducted and a quick pulse oximetry test performed that determines the oxygen saturation of the blood, which can help detect the presence of critical congenital heart defects shortly after birth. While it may seem like all signs and symptoms may be spotted at the hospital, some congenital defects are only noticeable once the baby is at home, so all new parents should be extremely alert when it comes to their child’s health. The screening at birth can significantly improve health outcomes if critical congenital heart defects are diagnosed and treated immediately.

Congenital Heart Defect Treatment in Infants: What Does it Look Like?

For some patients with congenital heart defects, especially if they are minor, doctors recommend regular check-ups with a pediatric cardiologist. These check-ups allow a doctor to monitor the patient’s heart to ensure it hasn’t developed any further complications or deterioration. Sometimes, medication may be required to improve the heart’s functionality or any negative effects it may cause due to poor performance, such as breathlessness or fluid retention in the lungs, and it is prescribed up to the surgery when the patient is fit enough.

Certain medical procedures and surgeries are required for some defects in newborn babies. For example, when a doctor recommends catheterization, it involves the use of a tiny tube to repair blood vessels or the heart valve in the heart. Catheterization is more of a safer and faster procedure as opposed to open-heart surgery. For serious congenital defects, it would be impossible for doctors to treat them by means of a catheter, and they must have open-heart surgery. Long procedures are conducted to effectively heal damaged heart parts from the inside out. For less invasive operations, a doctor will use an endoscopic technique. The doctor makes multiple small incisions in the body and remedies the heart disease from there, which means shorter recovery duration as opposed to lengthy open-heart surgery where the incision is comparatively large, and recovery takes time and causes extreme pain to the patient's body. In whichever method the congenital heart defect treatment is performed, a follow-up check-up by a pediatric cardiologist is considered essential.

Timely Congenital Heart Defect Treatment Contributes to Their Proper Health

It is believed that if the heart has to deal with a wrong rhythm, the individual might not acieve their dreams and a healthy lifestyle. Timely congenital heart defect treatment allows this medical condition to be managed, and it certainly makes a lot of difference in making it heal and recover for a complete life. This way, children with congenital heart defects have a normal lifespan and make the most out of life as they are free of worries about diseases.

The Cost of Treatment of Congenital Heart Defects in Infants

The problem of medical treatment for defects of the heart for newborn babies is such that most insurance plans have failed to cover it. The treatment for the heart diseases in India usually costs $1,045–$5,224 USD (1 lakh to 5 lakh Indian rupees) which is a considerable amount to pay for a family in the low and middle classes of income that are already in quite an amount of income tax. This is why Genesis Foundation and their project Save Little Hearts works to ensure that children born with congenital defects get quality congenital heart defect treatment from some of the best pediatric cardiologists or surgeons in reputed hospitals all over India. Any donations made toward Genesis Foundation go directly towards giving a child a chance at a healthier life, and no amount goes towards the expenses of operating the foundation itself, as it believes in passing 100% of the contributions to patients.

Make A Donation to Congenital Heart Defect Treatment

Healthy heart function ensures an optimistic and happy future for the child. You can extend your support and assistance for early congenital heart defect treatment by donating to the Genesis Foundation. You could also contribute monthly, thus ensuring sustained and regular treatment expenses are covered, and contributing towards a longer and fulfilling life for these children. If you work for a corporation looking for philanthropic avenues, don't forget to get in touch with them at genesis-foundation.net to see how you can participate and contribute to the well-being of a child. 

To get more information on how to partner, support or volunteer with us, call +91 96506 03438 or email at contactus@genesis-foundation.net. 

To know more about their work, visit www.genesis-foundation.net or follow the foundation on Facebook, LinkedIn,  Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.