| There are several types of heart diseases that | | | | disorder. |
| manifest themselves in babies and young children. One | | | | Although the assumption is that congenital heart |
| of these is the congenital type, which develops even | | | | disease is of a genetic origin, research has identified |
| before the baby is born. These include heart | | | | very few genes that are decidedly associated with |
| malformations, such as the presence of holes | | | | heart disorders. There is some evidence that this |
| between the chambers, the fusion of chambers, the | | | | condition may also be caused by drugs taken by the |
| absence of a chamber or valve, or the meshing of the | | | | mother or infections contracted while pregnant. |
| arteries, which therefore prevent proper functioning of | | | | There are also heart diseases in children that are not |
| the heart. Congenital heart defects may become | | | | congenital. These are usually those caused by an |
| apparent shortly after birth, but some are not detected | | | | illness that the baby or child has, such as rheumatic |
| until much later. | | | | fever. Rheumatic fever can cause inflammations in the |
| Statistics show that eight out of every one thousand | | | | heart that can permanently damage proper heart |
| babies are afflicted with a congenital heart problem, | | | | functioning. Arrhythmia, or the irregular beating of the |
| ranging from mild to severe cases. Many times, the | | | | heart, may be congenital or acquired. |
| likelihood of having a baby with a congenital heart | | | | Heart abnormalities in the newborn are often |
| disease cannot be assessed with any certainty. | | | | associated with cases of blue babies. These can also |
| Although the probability seems to be higher when | | | | affect the normal development of the child, who may |
| there is already a case of this problem in the family. | | | | at times have difficulty in breathing, poor appetite, and |
| Even healthy parents can have babies with this | | | | slow growth. |