Congenital heart disease refers to structural defects of the heart that are existing at birth. These may or may not be detectable at birth. Congenital heart disease may affects the septal wall, the valves or the blood vessels, resulting in abnormal circulation of blood through the heart. Congenital heart disease is the common birth defect. With the advancement in medical treatment, almost all children born with congenital heart disease can grow to maturity and lead a normal life. Unfortunately, not all congenital heart diseases are diagnosed at birth.

February 7-14th marks Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week. Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) is when a baby is born with something wrong with the heart. It is the most common birth defect affecting one out of 100 newborns every year. Although common, much more needs to be done in the areas of support, education and research.

Just as there are many types of heart disease, correspondingly, there are also many different causes of heart disease. They range from congenital defect (existing at birth), hereditary to various viral, fungal, bacterial or parasitic microbes' infection. The affected areas also vary. It may be the cardiac muscle, valve or the arteries. Here are some of the more common causes of heart disease...

The first diagnosis of child heart disease is often made during routine examination when the pediatrician detects heart murmur. Heart murmur is the noise that the blood makes as it flows through the heart. Heart murmurs are fairly common in children. It is not necessarily a sign of child heart disease.

If a heart murmur is due to a problem in a child's heart, it is caused either by a hole in the heart, a leaky heart valve, or constricted heart valve. To confirm the diagnosis, an examination by a pediatric cardiologist is necessary. Pediatric specializes in child heart disease.

Many may see the title, raising a heart healthy child with congenital heart disease, as an oxymoron in that you may believe that if the heart is healthy it will be free from defect or disease. Well, in the natural world I would agree with you, however if you are like me and believe in Angels and miracles, I beg to differ. I’ll expound on that statement a little later.

There are many different forms of congenital heart defects, and these defects can affect different structures in your heart. At birth or during childhood, congenital heart defects can give symptoms. The cause of congenital heart disease is unknown. There are many children who born with heart troubles live to be active. It is really difficult to prevent the problems for those who are with congenital heart disease.

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There are many types of heart disease. The most common forms of heart disease are: coronary heart disease, pulmonary heart disease, hypertensive heart disease, inflammatory heart disease, heart valve disease, ischaemic heart disease, hereditary heart disease and congenital heart disease. The cure for heart disease is possibly on the horizon with the pace of advancement in medicine.

February 7-14 is Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Week. CHD is the most common birth defect in babies affecting 8 out of 1,000 newborns. Congenital heart defects are also responsible for more deaths in the first year of life than any other birth defect. If you know someone with CHD remind them how thankful you are to have them in your life!

The following is a brief testimony regarding my life with CHD.

This week marks Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Awareness Week which has prompted me to share a little bit about me and the congenital heart defect I was born with and how it has affected me for the 37 years of my life thus far.