Heart Disease in Young Children and Onwards

         Heart Disease also called "Cardiovascular disease"  is the leading cause of deaths worldwide, mostly effected by heart disease is older humans, though the process begins in early life, it can be controlled. There is many different types of heart diseases, which then have subcategories of those. Some of these types include, Coronary artery disease, Cardiomyopathy, Hypertensive heart disease, Cardiac dysrhythmias, as well, Valvular heart disease. There is many risk factors behind heart disease, your diet, obesity, family history, smoking , alcohol, (excessive). All these are factors, contribute into heart disease, and while some are able to change, some are born with it, age, gender, family history, these all are factors that you can't change.  I'm going to go into  the factors of those, age, family history, and gender. More about  heart disease in young children and babies, and ways to prevent it, or realizing that you may have a baby with heart disease which takes steps into genetics, as well  inherited heart diseases, along with personally caused diseases.

     Heart disease is actually more vibrant in older people and to that, older men even more. With 82 percent of people dying of (coronary) heart disease, are at the age of 65 and older, and on top of that, men are more vulnerable to heart disease. For kids, it is said, for Congenital heart defects about 1 in 100 newborn are affected by some type of heart defect. Though now in recent times,  most of these heart defects, in the early stages of life, can be successful, in curing and making it better, such operations include, cardiac surgery, cardiac catheterizations. These are now common in infants, and newborns. Hopefully leading to a good, healthy life.

    There is causes outside of just genetics, like i said before, diet, exercises, other health problems. Drug use, excessive alcohol, and exposure to chemicals, is all a risk during pregnancy, as it increases the malformations. Smoking increases the build ups in arteries and lung problems, and overall increases the risk of coronary heart disease. Drinking while pregnant should be completely avoided, and as drinking later, it can cause high blood pressure and heart failure, and include cardio problems, sudden cardiac deaths, and arrhythymias.

       Genetic heart disease, is heart diseases passed down from the parent, to the kid. If you know that your family has heart disease, then you can be more careful, and find ways to avoid giving the kid the disease, or if you so wish to have your own kid, you take the risk of giving the kid the disease, obviously the chances are mostly 50%, as to if one parent has it, and the other doesn't. Even if the kid is born with it, does not necessarily mean you need to take action on it. Some symptoms never come out, as well some times the heart disease never truly comes out and effects them.               

     Signs and symptoms to heart disease can be shown after birth with a heart murmur, though heart murmurs don't indicate a heart disease, it helps in to figuring out if there is one present or not. After birth children can get EKGs , and x-rays to help determine if they have a heart problem.  Some times symptoms may be there but nothing serious, and so no reason to do anything about it. Some serious ones though they can be cured with certain surgeries. Some other symptoms is breathing troubles, or a condition that is "cyanosis" where the baby has blue skin because of the lack of oxygen in the blood.

     Treating heart defects in babies can be easily fixed with an operation. Others that are more serious might need more than one operation. Then lastly if very serious, there will be countless visits to the doctors, and making sure everything stays silent for the time. There is also operation balloon angioplasty, and valvuloplasty, "In these procedures, a pediatric cardiologist inserts a catheter, a thin plastic tube with a special balloon attached, into a blood vessel. The balloon is then inflated to stretch open the narrow area of the blood vessel or heart valve. "Other procedures include closing holes, or blood vessels. Some even cure themselves as the child grows up. Along with these heart defects can come with infection, a problem called bacterial endocarditis, "an infection of the tissue that lines the heart and blood vessels."  Which becomes a very serious problem in itself, and the child will need treatment for that. It is also recommended to keep good care of their teeth.

Suspecting anything of heart defects and caring for your child after they are diagnosed is crucial for them growing up, if you see any signs of an event of anything related to their heart you should notify the doctor soon, these include, "loss of color, difficult breathing, bad appetite, sweating while feeding, decreased energy, or prolonged fever". As for caring for the child you should learn about feeding, giving the medicines on time, and make sure you're not just babying them, and let them get comfortable with caring for themselves. They may have scars, they may have have to take medicine, and visit the cardiologist, it is recommended to when they are old enough to understand talk to them about what they had to go through as a kid they may not remember, and make sure they have a role for their care. Make sure they do some participation in some activities, though they will be limited in some sports, and rigorous activities. Just make sure not to hover over like a hawk, make sure they live as normal of a life as possible.

Sources ; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiovascular_disease#Age
http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/if_heart_defect.html#a_If_You_Suspect_a_Problem
http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/if_heart_defect.html#a_About_Congenital_Heart_Defects
http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/if_heart_defect.html#a_Heart_Problems_Before_Birth

http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/ill/if_heart_defect.html#a_Treatment_for_Congenital_Heart_Defects
http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/heart_vascular_institute/clinical_services/specialty_areas/center_inherited_heart_diseases.html