Did you know the signs of heart disease in children you should be careful of? While heart disease is common in adults it doesn’t mean that children do not have it. Many factors increase the risk of heart disease in children. So, you should be aware of these signs of heart problems. So, that you take your child to a pediatric cardiologist on time to prevent complications. Learn about the common signs of heart conditions in children in this article. Get a consultation with the best cardiologists in Brooklyn.

Common heart conditions in children

Here is the list of common heart conditions in children which include:

Congenital heart defects:

These are the structural abnormalities present in the child from birth that affect heart function. Most common forms of heart defects in children are:

  • Aortic stenosis
  • Atrial septal defect
  • Coarctation of the aorta
  • Ebstein anomaly
  • Pulmonary stenosis
  • Ventricular septal defect

Acquired heart conditions:

As the name implies, these defects are acquired after birth due to certain medical or lifestyle factors. Some most common acquired heart defects found in children are:

  • Kawasaki disease
  • Coronary artery disease
  • Rheumatic heart disease
  • Cardiomyopathy
  • Myocarditis
  • Pericarditis

Congenital or acquired heart conditions:

Certain cardiovascular conditions happen in children which can be congenital or acquired in childhood. Some of the most common congenital and acquired heart conditions in children include:

  • Arrhythmias
  • Pulmonary hypertension

Common signs of heart disease in children

These are the common signs you may notice in your children due to heart disease which include:

In infants, you may notice these signs:

  • Faster breathing especially during feeding.
  • Slow growth
  • Difficulty feeding and becoming very sweaty during the process.
  • Fainting
  • Lose consciousness
  • Low blood pressure
  • Turing blue inside their mouth
  • In light-skinned babies, a blue tinge is seen on their skin, lips, and nail beds. In dark skin babies, a grayish tinge on their skin, lips, and nail beds.

In toddlers, you may notice signs such as:

  • Not physically active as other children.
  • Out of breath with activity sooner than other children.
  • Fainting or losing consciousness.

In older children, you may notice signs such as:

  • Not able to keep up physically with other children
  • Shortness of breath
  • Abdominal pain
  • Chest pain particularly during exercise
  • Heart palpitations
  • Dizziness
  • Low urine output
  • Low exercise tolerance
  • Edema
  • Swelling in the legs, ankles, and feet with skin marks.
  • Abdominal fluid buildup

While most of these symptoms may not lead to heart disease, if your child experiences several of them then, you should visit your healthcare provider or a pediatric cardiologist.

When to see a pediatric cardiologist?

If your child has any of these signs, you should see a pediatric cardiologist right away.

  • Chest pain
  • Swelling due to excess fluid retention.
  • Excessive sweating
  • Loss of appetite
  • Trouble breathing
  • Fatigue

These are the common signs of heart problems in children that you should always be careful of. As they are young, they aren’t always able to express what they feel. So, you need to look out for these signs and take them to a pediatric cardiologist if they show several above-mentioned signs.

If you need help with your child’s heart problems, visit our pediatric cardiologist clinic in Brooklyn. Our doctors make sure your child receives the best treatment and gets healthy as soon as possible. To book your appointment, call us on +1(347) 384-5690. The Cardiologists at Doral Health & Wellness consistently have outstanding patient satisfaction ratings. The professionals at Heart Specialist Brooklyn are able to greatly improve their patient’s health and quality of life because of their vast training and experience. New Yorkers can get the greatest medical, surgical, and cardiovascular care at Doral Health & Wellness Brooklyn. Visit us at 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212.