Types of Heart Diseases in Children

Heart diseases are difficult to tackle, especially if it strikes children. At times, it turns out to be tragic. Over the globe, the rate of heart diseases in children is increasing due to various reasons. You should know the different types of heart disease in children, so that you can take the necessary measures if your child happens to suffer from any of these ailments. Children are prone to heart diseases, caused due to a number of factors. It may be a viral infection that affects the heart, or congenial effects. Some heart diseases are genetic in nature.

If you can identify the child's heart attack symptoms, it becomes easier to seek the necessary treatment and eliminate life risk. Here are the different types of heart diseases that affect children.

Congenital Heart Disease

Congenital heart disease (CSD) is present in the children right from the birth. Around 1% of the children have this type of heart disease. This is one of the common pediatric heart defects types and is curable in nature. It is generally treated with medication, surgery or heart transplants. The causes of this disease may be the presence of narrow aortic valve in children, restricting the flow of blood. In certain cases, the left side of the heart of the child remains underdeveloped. Holes in heart are also common, especially in the wall of the heart between the chambers. The types of heart disease in children vary a lot. In case the child suffers from this disease, he may require monitoring throughout the life.

Atherosclerosis

The pediatric heart defects types include atherosclerosis, where cholesterol and fat builds up inside the heart arteries of the heart. The arteries become narrow and stiff as these materials continue to build up inside the arteries. Apart from heart attacks in the children, this disease may also result in clotting of blood in the arteries. However, it occurs to a lesser extent in younger children, as the fat takes time to build up. In certain cases, though, children suffer from this disease. It may occur due to obesity. Exercise, dietary changes and other measures are adopted to cure the disease after the child heart attack symptoms are detected.

Arrhythmias

The types of heart disease in children may vary according to their age. Arrhythmia occurs in a large number of children, where the rate of heart beat becomes abnormal. It may be slow, fast or long, deviating from the normal rate. The symptoms of this particular disease include dizziness, weakness, fatigue, fainting and difficulty in consuming food. On assessing the symptoms, the doctors devise the right path of treatment.

Kawasaki Disease

This is one of the rare heart diseases in children that causes inflammations in the vessels of blood in feet, mouth, hands, throats and lips. The lymph nodes of the children swell when they suffer from this particular disease and they are also affected by fever. This is one of the >types of heart disease in children in which the researchers have yet not found any particular cause. Normally, this disease affects children aged under 5. Children suffering from this particular disease need lifelong attention and follow ups. Apart from these, various heart problems in teenage athletes are also evident and people can increase their longevity by seeking timely treatment.

Heart Murmurs

At times, you may find a ‘whooshing’ sound in the heart of your child. It is caused due to the circulation of blood in the vessels. It is often harmless, but you should take the child to a doctor to keep away the risks. The professionals perform certain tests to detect any problem. In certain cases, these sounds subside on their own. However, it may not get cured if any underlying problem in the heart is behind these sounds.

Pericarditis

The types of heart disease in children may vary according to the condition of the membrane surrounding it. At times, it becomes infected and inflamed. It occurs due to the increment of fluid between the two layers of membranes. This results in the inability of the heart to pump the desired amount of blood. Normally, this disease occurs after the child undergoes a surgery, chest traumas, infections by bacteria, disorders in the connective tissues, like lupus.

Rheumatic heart diseases also cause various problem in the hearts of children. The types of heart disease in children vary according to their genetic orientation, surroundings, diet and other factors. It is important to treat them and cure these diseases at the earliest.

Sehat provides list of best Heart Doctors in Bangalore from which you can research and choose the right doctor for your condition.