Ebstein's anomaly

Ebstein's anomaly

This is a defect of the tricuspid valve, which controls blood flow between the heart's right atrium, which is an upper chamber of the heart, and the right ventricle, a bottom chamber of the heart. The valve is positioned lower than normal into the right ventricle instead of remaining between the atrium and the ventricle. The incorrectly formed ventricle is too small and the atrium too large, and neither functions properly. The valve often allows blood to leak from the ventricle into the atrium. This defect often occurs along with other heart defects.

Some patients have symptoms early in life including heart failure and life-threatening irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias). Other patients may have no signs or symptoms until adulthood. Treatment is with medications or with surgery.

Tetralogy of Fallot

Tetralogy of Fallot

This defect is a combination of four (tetralogy) heart defects. The four defects typically are ventricular septal defect (VSD), pulmonary valve stenosis, a misplaced aorta and a thickened right ventricular wall (right ventricular hypertrophy). They usually result in an insufficient amount of oxygenated blood reaching the body.

Complications of tetralogy of Fallot (fuh-LOE) include cyanosis — sometimes called "blue baby syndrome," since the lips, fingers and toes may have a bluish tinge from lack of oxygen — as well as poor eating, not being physically able to exercise, irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), delayed growth and development, and stroke. Surgery to repair the defects is required early in life.

Transposition of the greater arteries

Transposition of the great arteries

With this defect, the positions of the aorta — the main artery leading away from the heart — and the pulmonary artery, which leads to the lungs, are reversed (transposed). The aorta and pulmonary arteries are, together, sometimes referred to as the great arteries. The aorta arises from the right ventricle instead of the left ventricle. The pulmonary artery also arises from the left ventricle instead of the right. This prevents nourishing oxygenated blood from reaching the body.

This condition would quickly be fatal to a newborn except it's generally accompanied by another defect — commonly a septal defect or patent ductus arteriosus — that allows oxygen-rich blood to get to the body. Surgery to repair the condition is usually necessary shortly after birth.

Aortic Stenosis

Aortic stenosis
Aortic stenosis is a defect that narrows or blocks the aortic valve opening, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood into the aorta — the main artery leading away from the heart — on to the rest of your body.

The defect can cause the heart to get bigger, left-sided heart failure, abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), infections of the heart (endocarditis) and fainting. Treatment includes surgery to repair or replace the valve or, in young children, widening of the valve through a surgical procedure called balloon valvuloplasty, in which a balloon-like device widens the valve so that blood can flow through.

Pulomonary Valve Stenosis

Pulmonary valve stenosis

In this condition, blood flow from one of the heart's bottom chambers, the right ventricle, to the pulmonary artery is slowed by narrowing at the pulmonary valve. When there's narrowing (stenosis), the right ventricle must pump harder to get blood into the artery that carries blood to the lungs (pulmonary artery). Pulmonary valve stenosis may occur along with other defects, such as thickening of the muscle of the right ventricle below the valve.

In many cases, pulmonary stenosis is mild and doesn't require treatment. But because it can cause heart failure, arrhythmias or enlargement of the right heart chambers, it may be necessary to correct the defect. In many cases a balloon (pulmonary valvuloplasty) open the narrowed valve. In some cases, especially people with other heart defects, surgery may be necessary to replace the diseased valve with an artificial valve.

Atrial Septal Defect

Atrial septal defect

Atrial septal defect is a hole that occurs when the muscular wall (septum) separating the top two chambers of the heart (right and left atria) doesn't close properly. This allows oxygen-rich blood from the left atrium to flow into the right atrium, where it mixes with blood that doesn't have adequate oxygen in it. Blood from the left atrium should normally flow into the left ventricle and on to the aorta and the rest of the body.

Minor cases may cause no symptoms and may not require treatment. Larger defects may require surgery or cardiac catheterization to repair the hole.

Ventricular Septal Defect

Ventricular septal defect

Sometimes called a hole in the heart, this defect — the most common congenital heart defect — occurs when the muscular wall (septum) separating the bottom chambers of the heart (right and left ventricles ) doesn't fully form. The hole allows oxygen-rich blood to leak from the left ventricle into the right ventricle, instead of moving into the aorta and on to the body. In the right ventricle, the oxygen-rich blood mixes with blood that doesn't have enough oxygen in it.

Ventricular septal defect can lead to heart failure, high blood pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension), infections of the heart (endocarditis), irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) and delayed growth. Small holes may heal on their own or cause no symptoms. Larger holes may require surgery to stitch the hole closed or to cover the hole with a patch.

The Metro-Jackson Start! Heart Walk

Avery and I are fighting heart disease and stroke by participating in the American Heart Association’s Start! Heart Walk on October 10, 2010. Please support this cause by making a donation that will help provide research and education to stop our No. 1 and No. 3 killers. Thank you in advance for your support!
God Bless You!!
Megan and Avery Bell




http://metrojacksonheartwalk.kintera.org/averybell

The #28 Hope 4 Tiny Hearts Car!

CHD Facts

The Following Information was taken from CHIN, the Congenital Heart Information Network.


Congenital Heart Disease is considered to be the most common birth defect, and is a leading cause of birth-defect related deaths worldwide.
Despite the fact that CHD affects approximately 1.8 millions families in the U.S., a relatively small amount of funding is currently available for parent/patient educational services, research, and support.


Congenital Heart Defect Fact Sheet
Sometime during early pregnancy, a baby's heart may not form properly, resulting in structural abnormalities known as Congenital Heart Defects. In many cases the cause is unknown.
It is estimated that 40,000 babies with Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) are born in the United States each year.
Although some babies will be diagnosed at birth, newborns are not routinely screened for CHD. The consequences of a late diagnosis can have serious, lifelong implications.**
CHD is the most frequently occurring birth defect, and is the leading cause of birth-defect related deaths. Nearly 1,800 infants with CHD die each year as a result of congenital heart defects
Some CHDs may require visits to a Pediatric Cardiologist. Others can be treated with medications or repaired with surgery and/or procedures. Complex defects may require several surgeries and are never really "cured".
The majority of patients born with congenital heart defects are now adults****, yet many adults with CHD are not receiving adequate ongoing care from trained specialists.**


* NHLBI

**Report of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Working Group on Research in Adult Congenital Heart Disease, 2006

***Congenital Heart Surgeons Society

Signs and Symptoms of Heart Defects
Parents should be alert to the following symptoms in infancy:
Tires easily during feeding (i.e. falls asleep before feeding finishes
Sweating around the head, especially during feeding
Fast breathing when at rest or sleeping
Pale or bluish skin color
Poor weight gain
Sleeps a lot - not playful or curious for any length of time
Puffy face, hands, and/or feet
Often irritable, difficult to console



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some children with CHDs may not have any symptoms until later in childhood. Things to look for include:

Gets out of breath during play

Difficulty "keeping up" with playmates

Tires easily/sleeps a lot

Change in color during active play or sports (looks pale or has a bluish tint around mouth and nose)

Frequent colds and respiratory illnesses

Slow growth and weight gain/poor appetite

Complains of chest pain and/or heart pounding




If your child has two or more of these symptoms, talk to your pediatrician about a referral to a Pediatric Cardiologist.

Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week is in February 2011.
For Helpful Resources, Check Out the Following Link: http://tchin.org/families/index.htm

News Update!

CHH on Facebook!

Please 'Like' us on Facebook! I recently posted some great YouTube videos I cam across the other night, so check them out when you can!

Upcoming Fundraiser!

A Cross Healed Hearts T-Shirt is now in the works! I am hoping to have the design by the end of this week. Mrs. Kathy Means at National Trophy here in Jackson is working on it for me. It will be a Southern Belle style shirt. Funds raised will go towards buying materials for the pillows pictured on this blog, as well as, small heart pillows and Sharpie markers for Batson Hospital patients! I am also hoping to do some prayer/awareness bracelets for mothers, and printed material to go along with the pillows. Hopefully, we can raise enough to do some other great things as well- I guess we will find out soon!


Other...

My school Quest class teachers have offered to help us as their yearly community project! We are now brainstorming ideas, but are thinking of having the kids create knot flannel blankets for hospital patients and parents!

The Upcoming Nascar Race!!

Raising Big Hope 4 Tiny Hearts!
August 20, 2010, Bristol Motor Speed Way, 7:30 P.M.



The fol­low­ing names will be included on the Hope 4 Tiny Hearts NASCAR on August 20th. The dead­line for sub­mis­sion has already passed, so we can no longer accept addi­tional names.

THE FOLLOWING NAMES HAVE BEEN VERIFIED

Aaric Festa
Abby Pedron­celli
Abi­gail Thomas
Aiden Beers
AJ Rager
Alexan­der Moore
Alexis Fauci
Alexis Lied­berg
Alyssa Pine
Ander­son McDuffie
Andrew Gre­gory
Art Dougherty
Ash­ley Shipe
Aubrey Krell
Ava Allen
Averi Budde
Avery Bell
Avery Weis­dor­fer
Bar­bara Riles
Blak­lie Allen
Braden Sarver
Bre­anna Eskew
Brett Nee­ley
Brook­lyn McGough
Bryce Tory
C.R Fields
Caleb Cook
Caleb Gre­gory
Car­o­line McK­askle
Cas­siana Wentzel-Ashcraft
Caylen Ayscue
Chance John­son
Chloe Duyck
Christo­pher Pena, Jr.
Claire Capri
Colby Elliott
Con­nor Win­ches­ter
Cora McCormick
Danny Ortiz
Deaken Wright
Des­ti­nee Cook
Dorian Soli­mano
Eli Han­cock
Eli­jah Mayeux
Ellie Fer­raro
Emily Brush­wyler
Emily Lind­sey
Emily Tay­lor
Emma Hess
Emma Wom­ack
Ethan Durham
Eva Masio­nis
Gizele Kel­ley
Grace Chance
Grace Cooper
Grace Gle­ich­ner
Grace Mall­graf
Gra­cie Snider
Gus Helmink
Hai­ley McCrow
Harley Steele
Hazel Hei­del­berger
Hope Matthews
Hunter Her­nan­dez
Ian Sil­vestrini
Isaac Pry
Jacob Heis­ley
Jacob Shaw
James Man­nix
Jamie Alec­cia
Jamiee Hein
Jared Turn­gren
Jarod Davis
Jay­den Frank­fa­ther
Jenna Lil­lie
Jenna Rip­ple
Joe Prasifka
Joey Tur­turice
Jonah Cox
Jono­van Gutier­rez
Jor­dan James
Kala Poza
Karly Boyda
Kay­den Holmes
Kaylee Thomp­son
Kaylie Bremser
Khloe Maeve
Kiara Brew­ster
Kur­tis Warner
Kyle Ben­nett
Kyle Smith
Lau­ren Celeskey
Lau­ren Reynolds
Lil­lian Benn
Lil­lian Tay­lor
Lilly Smit­sky
Logan Shaf­fer
Lon­don Mob­ley II
Lucas Jack­son­Da­ley
Lydia Lawrence
Maci Humphreys
Madeleine Ames
Madi­son Hut­sell
Madi­son Miller
Maken­zie Etter
Mari­beth Gillis
Mark Porter
Matthew June
Micah Major
Michaela Stubbs
Miguel Sanchez
Mor­gan Van Lake
Natalie Bent
Natha­nial Frap­pier
Nolan Har­ri­son
Oliver Shelp­man
Olivia Kewer
Olivia Teague
Olyvia Reno
Owen Blutrich
Paula Rieber
Pey­ton Kirk
Piper Stephen­son
Ray­mond Mop­pin Jr.
Riley Brock
Robert Jenot Jr
Ryder All­man
Sairah Casto-Hodge
Sam Baugh
Seth Bon­nett
Shawn Sweeney
Sunni Ban­ney
Syd­nie Smith
Tane­sha Ives
Thomas & Jonathan Ander­son
TJ Smith
Tommy Derek­sen
Trace Knight
Trey­ton McFar­land
Tristin Fair­banks
Tucker Hamil­ton
Vic­to­ria Williams
Will Shep­herd
Xavier Gal­le­gos
Yoshua Jimenez
Zach Miller
Zachary Shafer


The Chloe Duyck Memo­r­ial Fund is ded­i­cated to sup­port­ing con­gen­i­tal heart defect aware­ness while rais­ing fund­ing for research ini­tia­tives in the area of pedi­atric con­gen­i­tal heart defects. CHDs are the most com­mon and most fatal of all birth defects, yet this area of med­i­cine is grossly under­funded. With your help, we can make a dif­fer­ence and we can save more lives! Will you join us?
Fundraising Pages for Hope 4 Tiny Hearts may be found at the following link:
http://www.change.org/chloe_duyck_memorial_fund/projects/fundraising_pages?project_id=69607