How to exercise for children with congenital heart disease

  Parents of children with congenital heart disease often worry about how to measure whether their child is getting enough or too much exercise. In fact, proper exercise helps your child’s physical and psychological recovery and development, promotes their physical and mental health, and improves cardiovascular function and quality of life. If their activities are excessively restricted because of the disease, it will instead cause psychological problems and affect their growth.  The vast majority of children with congenital heart disease can do moderate amounts of exercise. If there is no shortness of breath, abnormal fatigue or cyanosis after exercise, there is no need to restrict exercise, such as appropriate games, walks and extracurricular activities, etc. Children also have the instinct to regulate their own activity level.  If your child has severe aortic stenosis, cyanotic heart disease, cardiac hypertrophy, or heart rhythm disorders, they should only exercise lightly.  In general, exercise can be resumed gradually after the surgery, but strenuous exercise should be performed at least three months later, otherwise the child will have difficulty adapting.  As your child grows up, he or she will have more opportunities to participate in school activities. Each child has different needs and abilities depending on his or her condition and body type, so regular follow-ups are needed to assess your child’s mobility and progress, so that they can enjoy their school life without compromising their health.