Dr. Rewati Govindrajan

Severe hereditary heart imperfection commonly becomes obvious soon after the birth of a child or at some point in the first few months of its life. It is a tragic condition in children and some of the symptoms that are associated with the heart imperfections include rapid breathing, grunting while breathing, swelling of the abdomen, legs and areas around the eyes of the baby. 

The baby experiences shortness of breath during feeding and in this way, the baby does not gain much weight. The nostrils of the baby also become flared, and they at times turn pale blue in their skin color. In some cases, the blood pressure of the baby is also very low after their birth. 

Congenital heart defects are at times not diagnosed in the early stages of childhood as the signs are not noticeable.

However, some of the signs that are obvious and noticeable in older children mainly include: 

1. Children become short of breath while exercising or doing some activity and at times these children require frequent monitoring.
2. They get tired in no time and have less stamina
3. The legs of these children suffering from congenital heart defects tend to swell.
4. The blood circulation in these children is very poor 
5. Holes in the heart occur and typically in the walls between the major blood vessels as well as the chambers.

Do Tests Regularly:
It is very important that a follow up is done with pediatrician regularly and the tests described are performed regularly. In any such case if the problem is significant, then it is likely that your medical doctor would refer your child to a paediatric cardiologist. The paediatric cardiologist is specially trained to identify as well as treat severe heart problems in young children, infants and even in young adults.
 
Medications Used for Treating Heart Disease:
The condition cannot be prevented and hence to lower the risk of your baby having congenital heart disease it is very necessary that women have a healthy pregnancy. There are certain medications provided by the doctors to treat this condition and relieve the symptoms caused. The medications that are used include Vasodilators to widen the blood vessels so that the blood circulation is improved, Diuretics are used to reduce the extra fluid in the body. The strength of the heart beat is increased by use of Digoxin, and irregular heartbeats can be prevented by use of Antiarrhythmics. However, these medications do not treat the defect completely.

As babies develop in the mother's womb, there can be many factors, which could hamper normal growth in the embryo. These can result in deformities within the physiology of the baby. One area is bone tissue growth, which in early stages is still cartilage, and can manifest within the baby as deformed feet.

The incidence of deformed feet in infants, although not very common, is still prevalent enough to warrant certain fields of study as to why they happen and their remedies.

Reasons for foot deformities in infants

Some of the reasons for foot deformities within infants are mentioned below:

1. Genetic or hereditary problems - Some problems are passed from one generation to the other, although it may not manifest in the older generations.

2. Infections to the mother during pregnancy - If the mother contracted a disease during pregnancy or had an infection, it can have adverse effects on the developments of the baby and cause deformities.

3. Side effects of medications - If the mother was under medication, side effects of certain medications can cause hormonal imbalances resulting in deformities.

4. Hormonal imbalances - Certain hormonal imbalances present in the mother's body due to overlooked problems may cause issues with the baby's development and result in foot or other physical deformities.

Correction of Foot Deformities

Most corrective measures for foot deformities entail surgery as severe problems can be only corrected through that. These measures may also include other methods such as physiotherapy, massages, and training.

Let's look at some of the techniques, which are used to correct deformities, either in combinations or as standalone techniques.

• Corrective surgery - This is the most common and usually the most recommended course of action as anything above mild deformities will have to be corrected through surgeries. Most surgeries entail lengthy recuperating periods and follow ups.
• Corrective footwear - Milder foot deformities can be corrected with special footwear or setting devices such as special braces and supports to correct the problems.
• Physiotherapy - Certain forms of physiotherapy are effective in correcting mild forms of deformities. However, this tool is usually deployed in conjunction with surgeries to speed up the healing process
• Exercises - Certain deformities can only be changed with the help of exercise over a long period of time and cannot be fixed quickly even via surgery and thus, will need special care for long periods of time.

'Consult'.

Related Tip: Early Childhood Trauma - Reasons and Diagnosis