Blog
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How to Prepare for Starting School with CHD
As the final weeks of Summer approach, there are school supplies to buy, carpools to arrange, and new routines to begin. For families of those with CHD, there may be additional preparation to ensure their student is able to reach their full potential. In this week’s blog, educator and Heart Mom, Tamara Jazwinski, discusses the…
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When was congenital heart disease discovered?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nearly 40 thousand children are born with a congenital heart defect each year. While there have been many developments in how CHD is treated, there is still no cure. However, the past over 70 years have shown repeated breakthroughs in both the scientific and medical…
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What is the most common cause of congenital heart disease
Congenital heart disease is lifelong, with sufferers of the disease requiring long-term, specialized care. While most causes of CHD are unknown, there are a few factors that can impact the likelihood of a child being born with the disease. Since many children born with congenital heart disease and congenital heart defects develop other neurocognitive and…
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Summer Fun – the July Reboot
We’re nearing the end of July, but our days in the sun are not over yet! Check out this Summer Fun blog reboot for tips on staying cool and stories about the adventures of CHD kiddos, teens, and adults.
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Teaching the ABCs of CHD to Your Child
For those with CHD falling out of care is a very common problem, which can lead to critical emergency situations. A whopping 61% of children with CHD will stop seeing their cardiologist by the time they are 18, and just 10% of adults with CHD are getting the appropriate cardiac care. In this week’s blog,…
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Congenital heart disease classification
Congenital heart disease is also known as CHD. they are structural abnormalities of the heart and can cause other issues in the great vessels. These abnormalities occur while the fetus is developing. This is why it is called congenital, it is there since birth. CHD is a common type of birth defect but is also…
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What does a congenital condition mean?
Congenital disorders are those which are present from birth. They can be caused by the environment in the mother’s womb, or even inherited. They do not always cause serious issues, but in the event of CHD, they can cause problems that need immediate attention. In some cases, it can also affect their health for the…
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The Grief in Living with CHD
We often think of grief as the pain felt after the loss of a loved one. Sometimes, with chronic illness, however, we grieve for the loss of our own former selves, of the life we lived as (relatively) healthy young adults, or our hopes for the future. In this week’s blog, Nicole, an adult with…
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Growing Up to be Independent with CHD
Parents do all they can to take care of their children, especially when they’re sick. But patient’s with CHD also need to learn independence, to be able to one day take over and manage their care and futures! This week, Kim shares her story and how her family encouraged her to lead her life on…
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One Patient’s Experience with Arrhythmia
Many patients with CHD also have arrhythmias, sometimes as a consequence of intervention. Rosalie was born with an AVSD and had surgery as a child, but it wasn’t until her teens that her arrhythmia emerged. In this week’s blog she shares her story with us. Everyone has a story to tell. With CHD, sometimes there…
