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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffIf your child has a life-threatening heart defect, it will likely be detected soon after birth, or possibly before birth as a part of routine exams during pregnancy.
If you suspect your child has a heart defect later in infancy or childhood, talk to your child's doctor. Be prepared to describe your child's symptoms and provide a family medical history, since some heart defects tend to be hereditary. Your child's doctor may also want to know if the mother of the child had any medical conditions or used any medications while pregnant that may have been a risk factor for developing a congenital heart defect.
What you can do
- Write down any signs and symptoms your child is experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to heart problems.
- Make a list of all medications, as well as any vitamins or supplements, that the mother of the child has been taking.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions helps you make the most of your time together. You might want to ask the following questions:
- Are these signs and symptoms related to my family history?
- Does my child need treatment?
- What is the best treatment?
- Do you think my child will experience any long-term complications?
- How will we monitor for possible complications?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time when you don't understand something.
- Congenital heart defects. National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/chd/chd_all.html. Accessed Sept. 8, 2008.
- Congenital heart defects in children fact sheet. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=12012. Accessed Sept. 8, 2008.
- Diabetes and pregnancy frequently asked questions. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/bd/diabetespregnancyfaqs.htm#whatcanhappentoababy. Accessed Sept. 18, 2008.
