Daily home care for infants with congenital heart disease

  Among congenital heart diseases, the main ones can be classified as ventricular septal defect, atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, and tetralogy of Fallot. Congenital heart disease has an impact on the growth and development of children, with shortness of breath, dyspnea, malaise and severe cyanosis after activity or exertion. Due to the low resistance of children, they are prone to respiratory infections, pulmonary infections and repeated attacks, which can easily lead to congestive heart failure. Children with tetralogy of Fallot often have fainting or convulsions due to cerebral hypoxia after crying or activity, and severe attacks can lead to death.  1, should be arranged for the child a reasonable living system, both to enhance exercise, improve the body’s resistance, but also appropriate rest, to avoid overwork. If the affected child is competent, he or she should try to live and study with normal children, but should prevent strenuous activities. At the same time, children should be educated to have confidence in the treatment of the disease and reduce pessimism and fear.  2. Indoor air should be circulated. Windows should be opened regularly in winter to enhance air convection. Children with persistent cyanosis should avoid high indoor temperature, which may lead to sweating and dehydration.  3. Give a high protein, high calorie, vitamin-rich diet to enhance physical fitness. Avoid eating too much. Children with cyanotic heart disease should be given enough water to avoid dehydration that may lead to thrombosis.  Infants with congenital heart disease are more difficult to feed, and they tend to stop sucking because of shortness of breath when sucking, and they are prone to vomiting and sweating a lot, so a dropper can be used when feeding to reduce the physical exertion of the child. After feeding, lay down gently on your side to prevent vomit inhalation and asphyxia.  4.Avoid emotional excitement of the child, try not to make the child cry and reduce unnecessary stimulation so as not to increase the burden on the heart.  5.Keep the bowel movement smooth. For children with cyanotic type, do not use too much force when passing stool, so as not to increase the burden on the heart. If there is no stool for two days, you can use open plug laxative to pass stool.  6, congenital heart disease children are prohibited to infuse a large number of fluids, if you must infuse, the drip rate must be slow, to prevent the burden on the heart, resulting in heart failure.  7, the children with tetralogy of Fallot take more squatting position, and often take the initiative to squat for a moment when walking or playing. This is because squatting can make the symptoms of hypoxia relieved, if the child has this phenomenon, parents must not force the child to pull up.  8.For children who usually have good heart function and activity endurance, they should receive vaccination according to the time, but after vaccination, they should observe more systemic and local reactions for timely treatment.  9.Children with congenital heart disease are weak and prone to infections, especially respiratory diseases, and are prone to heart failure, so they should be carefully cared for and their clothes should be increased or decreased with the change of seasons. If a family member has an upper respiratory tract infection, isolation measures should be taken, and children should be taken to public places as little as possible. Once the child becomes infected, the infection should be actively controlled.  10. If the child is found to have shortness of breath, irritability, rapid heart rate, difficulty in breathing and other symptoms, heart failure may occur, should be sent to the hospital promptly.