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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staffCaring for a baby with a serious heart problem, such as transposition of the great arteries, can be challenging and frightening. Here are some strategies that may help make it easier:
- Seek support. Ask for help from family members and friends. Talk with your child's cardiologist about support groups and other types of assistance that are available near you.
- Record your baby's health history. You may want to write down your baby's diagnosis, medications, surgery and other procedures and the dates they were performed, your child's cardiologist's name and phone number, and any other important information about your baby's care. This record will help you recall the care your child has received, and it will be helpful for doctors who are unfamiliar with your baby to understand his or her health history.
- Talk about your concerns. You may worry about the risks of vigorous activity, even after your child has had corrective surgery. Talk with the cardiologist about which activities are safe for your child. If some are off-limits, encourage your child in other pursuits rather than focusing on what he or she can't do. If other issues about your child's health concern you, discuss them with your child's cardiologist, too.
Although every circumstance is different, remember that most children with congenital heart defects grow up healthy.
References
- Transposition of the great arteries. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/TranspositionGreatArteries.htm. Accessed Feb. 9, 2010.
- d-Transposition of the great arteries. American Heart Association. http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=11074. Accessed Feb. 9, 2010.
- Transposition of the great arteries. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/print/sec19/ch287/ch287h.html. Accessed Feb. 9, 2010.
- Congenital heart defects. The March of Dimes. http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1212.asp. Accessed Feb. 9, 2010.
- Aboulhosn JA, et al. Congenital heart disease in adults. In: Fuster V, et al. Hurst's The Heart. 12th ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2008. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3073065. Accessed Feb. 11, 2010.
- Grogan M (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Feb. 16, 2010.
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