The heart is a muscular pump that has four chambers. An atrial septal defect is an opening in the wall between the upper chambers of the heart. It is a type of congenital heart disease, which means that your child was born with it. When this opening is present, some of the blood may flow from one side of the heart through the hole to the other side. This can strain the heart.
A very small hole may not cause problems. A larger hole may damage the lungs and weaken the heart over time. You and your child's doctor can decide if a procedure to close the hole is right for your child.
An atrial septal defect is an opening in the wall that separates the upper chambers of the heart. It is a type of congenital heart disease, which refers to structural problems that develop before a baby is born or at birth.
When an atrial septal defect is present, some oxygen-rich blood that should have been pumped to the body flows from one side of the heart to the other. This blood is then pumped to the lungs. This creates extra work for one side of the heart.
If an atrial septal defect is large, heart failure may occur, although this is not common in children. Many children have no symptoms. So an atrial septal defect may not be found until a child is older or becomes an adult.
A procedure can typically be used to close the opening. This prevents blood from flowing between chambers.
Many babies have no symptoms, especially if the hole is small. The hole may close on its own over time.
If the hole is large, and the heart has to work too hard, a baby may have symptoms, such as trouble breathing or fast breathing.
If the hole is large or causing symptoms, your doctor may advise treatment to close the hole. Some children may have a treatment called catheterization.
If your baby has this treatment, your baby will be asleep while it is done. The doctor puts a thin tube into a blood vessel in your child's groin. This tube is called a catheter. The doctor will move the catheter through the blood vessel to the heart. A dye can be put into the catheter. The doctor can take X-ray pictures of the dye as it moves through your child's heart and blood vessels.
The pictures can show exactly where the hole is. Then the doctor moves special tools through the catheter to the heart. The doctor uses these tools to close the hole. Then the tools and the catheter are removed.
Some babies have surgery to close the hole.
Your doctor may hear abnormal heart sounds, such as a heart murmur, when examining your baby.
Your doctor will order tests to find the cause of abnormal sounds or of symptoms. The most common test used to identify this problem is called an echocardiogram, or "echo" for short. It uses sound waves to make an image of your baby's heart.
Other tests, such as an EKG (electrocardiogram), chest X-ray, and checking the amount of oxygen in the blood, also help identify the problem.
Your doctor will make sure that you have all the information you need to take care of your baby at home.
Many babies won't have any symptoms. They will only need regular checkups. But it is important to watch for symptoms that may mean there is a problem. These include:
An atrial septal defect is a type of congenital heart disease. Congenital heart disease refers to heart problems a baby is born with.
The heart is a muscular pump with four chambers. The two bottom chambers are the left and right ventricles. The two top chambers—the left atrium and right atrium—are separated by a wall of tissue called a septum. An atrial septal defect is a hole in this wall.
A very small hole may not cause problems. It may close on its own.
When the hole is larger, some of the blood may flow through it from the left atrium to the right atrium. So the right side of the heart may pump too much blood. Over time, this can cause the right ventricle to enlarge. And it can damage the lungs and weaken the heart.
Call 911 anytime you think your child may need emergency care. For example, call if:
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
Watch closely for changes in your child's health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
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