About Tetralogy of Fallot in Children
Unfortunately, childbirth is not always successful and without problems, and sometimes children are born already sick. Many defects of newborns are heart-related, such as Tetralogy of Fallot, one of the most common types of heart defects (Liu et al., 2017). This disease is associated with distortions in the heart’s structure – narrow walls, too large or too small parts, which prevent it from working normally. But this disease can be easily avoided! You can diagnose and evaluate it during pregnancy using special tools – computed tomography or echocardiography (Hu et al., 2017). If suspicions arise during such examinations, you need to ask the doctor to take additional measures. Ultrasound or X-ray screening should be completed to dispel or confirm such doubts.
Impact of Tetralogy of Fallot on Family Members and Effective Treatment Methods
This disease has a massive impact on the life of a newborn child. If parents do not take timely action, the consequences can be very serious. The most common temporary complications are hypoxemia, hypoxia, and cyanosis, which can be recognized by bluish discoloration, leading to permanent developmental delays and other severe conditions (Wilson et al., 2019). Lack of specific treatment can even lead to death, so you should address this problem as soon as possible. Therefore, parents need to take critical measures for therapy. Unfortunately, the list of possible options is minimal. Doctors may use prostaglandin E1 injections, oxygen, and IV fluids to temporarily relieve a child and reduce seizure symptoms (Beerman, 2020). But all these measures can only restrain the development of the disease and help in critical situations.
Allowed Caring Measures and Proper Timing to Address the Health Issue
You need to know a few basic things to look after your child. First, the Tetralogy of Fallot limits children’s access to oxygen, making it difficult for them to breathe. When a child moves more, they need more oxygen, so you should monitor them closely and limit their physical activity. Blue skin is a clear sign of a baby’s lack of oxygen (Wilson et al., 2019). This symptom should be treated with special exercises or medical intervention such as oxygen supply or medication injections.
Parents need to be trained by a doctor to better provide this kind of care. It is best to ask for a direct demonstration of the measures you need to take. This will allow you to best remember how to help your child. In addition, if this disease is discovered late, in an already old enough child, they can take part in controlling his condition. You should consult your doctor for instructions for a specific child. Still, children can generally monitor their skin color by telling adults about the changes. However, the best solution is to detect and treat the disease as early as possible (Lazar & Hylarides, 2017).
Best United States Organizations dealing with Tetralogy of Fallot in Children
Among the community resources, it is worth highlighting four organizations that can help parents. If you suddenly have suspicions about Tetralogy of Fallot in your child due to symptoms: skin color, breathing, developmental problems, or test results, you should immediately contact the professionals from these associations. (Links to other congenital heart defects resources, 2020).
References
Hu, B. Y., Shi, K., Deng, Y. P., Diao, K. Y., Xu, H. Y., Li, R., Yang, Z. G., & Guo, Y. K. (2017). Assessment of tetralogy of Fallot–associated congenital extracardiac vascular anomalies in pediatric patients using low-dose dual-source computed tomography. BMC Cardiovascular Disorders, 17(1), 1-8. Web.
Lazar, J., & Hylarides, M. J. (2017). Analysis of the psychosocial impact of caretaking on the parents of an infant with severe congenital heart defect. Case Reports, 2017, 1-4. Web.
Links to other congenital heart defects resources. (2020). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Web.
Liu, L., Wang, H. D., Cui, C. Y., Qin, Y. Y., Fan, T. B., Peng, B. T., Zhang, L. Z., & Wang, C. Z. (2017). Whole exome sequencing identifies novel mutation in eight Chinese children with isolated tetralogy of Fallot. Oncotarget, 8(63), 106976-106988. Web.
Wilson, R., Ross, O., & Griksaitis, M. J. (2019). Tetralogy of Fallot. BJA education, 19(11), 362-369. Web.
Beerman, L.B. (2020). Tetralogy of Fallot. MSD Manual. Web.