Can septal defects in babies cause breathing difficulties?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have an 18-month-old baby. Doctors said she had a tiny hole in her heart when she was born. They said that it would close, and it closed by the age of one year. Currently, she has difficulty breathing, especially during sleep. Also, it happens when she cries. Why does this happen? Is it normal? Kindly advise.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern. Most holes in the heart or septal defects close spontaneously with time. Therefore, any intervention to close it should be done depending on the findings of echocardiography, such as the size of the right ventricle, flow ratio across the hole (defect), blood pressure in lung vessels, etc. Please share the echocardiography report so that I can guide you accordingly. Moreover, echocardiography is repeated once when there is a change in the signs or symptoms. Some of the signs and symptoms include bluish lips and nails, difficulty breathing, and recurrent chest infections.

I hope this helps.

Thank you.