9-year-old with congenital heart defect needs open-heart surgery
He is now nine years old and has not been able to live a normal life.
Sphesihle Makhaza has learned to live with his condition after he was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect when he was a year old.
He is now nine years old and has not been able to live a normal life.
The defect changes the normal flow of blood through the heart that has holes in it.
“He did not feed well as a newborn baby and nurses picked up an unusual heartbeat during a clinical check up,” said Ms Deli Makhaza, Sphesihle’s mother.
Growing up, Sphesihle had had difficultly breathing when he was playing.
He could not walk for long distances and could not participate in sport.
“I used to get complaints from teachers about Sphesihle struggling to stay awake at school and I had to explain his condition to his teacher and the school principal.”
Ms Makhaza and the teachers found new ways to ensure Sphesihle does his best.
“I stopped working to be available for my son whenever he needs me,” she said.
Ms Makhaza has to monitor Sphesihle’s eating habits, watch for signs of distress and has to teach him to take extra care of himself.
Sphesihle is going for regular check-ups at the Steve Biko Hospital in Pretoria.
He underwent a catheter procedure that involves a catheter being inserted through the thigh into the vein.
The tube threads to the spetum of the heart and a device is pushed out from the catheter then plugged onto the hole.
The catheter procedure is an easier option than surgery.
Sphesihle will go for his next check-up in March to monitor his recovery from the catheter procedure.
The procedure outcome rate is excellent and he will hopefully not require open-heart surgery.
For free daily local news in the South, visit our sister newspapers Highvelder, Standerton Advertiser
For more news and interesting articles, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram
