February is traditionally the month of love, but as we share hearts on Valentine’s Day, we need to learn more about this organ as we celebrated World Congenital Heart Defects Awareness Week from 7 to 14 February.
What is a congenital heart defect? According to Heart Kids South Africa, congenital heart defect (CHD) is an abnormality of blood vessels near the heart where they don’t develop normally before birth. 1 in 100 babies is born with CHD.
Symptoms and diagnosis Most heart defects are detected just after childbirth. In some cases, the child turns blue or has very low blood pressure. Other symptoms include difficulty breathing, poor weight gain and feeding problems.
Why CHD Week? During this time, people are encouraged to educate themselves about CHD.
The awareness week also provides a platform for people to support organisations that assist patients diagnosed with CHD. To find out more about CHD and how you can support the cause, visit https://www.heartkids.co.za/
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