About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffIt's natural for many parents to feel worried about their child's health, even after treatment of a congenital heart defect. Although many children who have congenital heart defects can do the same things children without heart defects can, here are a few things to keep in mind if your child has had a congenital heart defect:
- Developmental difficulties. Because some children who have congenital heart defects may have had a long recovery time from surgeries or procedures, they may developmentally lag behind other children their age. Some children's difficulties may last into their school years, and they may have difficulties learning to read or write, as well. Talk to your child's doctor about ways to help your child through his or her developmental difficulties.
- Emotional difficulties. Many children who have developmental difficulties may feel insecure about their abilities and may have emotional difficulties as they reach school age. Talk to your child's doctor about ways you can help your child cope with these problems, which may include support groups for parents, or a visit to a therapist or psychologist for your child.
- Support groups. Having a child with a serious medical problem isn't easy and, depending on the severity of the defect, may be very difficult and frightening. You may find that talking with other parents who've been through the same situation brings you comfort and encouragement. Ask your child's doctor if there are any local support groups. In the United States, call Mended Little Hearts at 888-HEART99 (888-432-7899) to find out if there's a support group in your area.
- Congenital heart defects. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/chd/chd_all.html. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
- Fulton DR. Congenital heart disease in children and adolescents. In: Fuster V, et al. Hurst's The Heart. 12th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3077940&searchStr=congenital+heart+disease#3077940. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
- Bernstein D. Cardiac development. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/215591989-8/0/1608/989.html?tocnode=54482815&fromURL=989.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..X5001-4--part19_8078. Accessed Aug. 20, 2010.
- Congenital heart defects. March of Dimes. http://www.pregnancynewborn.com/printableArticles/14332_1212.asp. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
- Congenital cardiovascular defects. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/print_presenter.jhtml?identifier=4565. Accessed Aug. 18, 2010.
- Hoecker J (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 23, 2010.
Find Mayo Clinic on