by DrCiuffo | Aug 15, 2016 | Blog, Pediatric Heart Disease
What You Need to Know About Pediatric Heart Disease There are many forms of pediatric heart disease, and not all of them are rare. In fact, some kinds of heart disease could be as common as 1 in 100 children. This is why we want to identify and treat any symptoms of heart disease in your children as soon as we see them. The more parents know about pediatric heart disease, the faster we will be able to help your child. According to the American Heart Association, here are some of the different kinds of pediatric heart disease, and a little information on each: Arrhythmia Arrhythmia refers to an irregular heartbeat. Typically, a child with an arrhythmia will have their heart rate increase when they inhale, then slow down when the exhale. While this condition is common, it can lead to other health concerns. Cardiomyopathy This condition refers to a diseased state of the heart involving abnormalities of the muscle fibers, which contract with each heartbeat. Cardiomyopathy is rare and can be problematic in two ways. The primary concern with this condition is that its muscle cells themselves can be abnormal, usually due to a gene mutation. It is a secondary problem when the muscle cells were normal but are affected by other diseases that have secondary damaging effects on the heart and its function such as certain infections, low blood flow to the heart, low blood oxygen or high blood pressure. Cholesterol Cholesterol problems can start in early childhood, continue into adulthood, and cause coronary heart disease. Atherosclerosis, or the buildup of fatty plaque in arteries, can begin...
