Pediatric Cardiac Diseases

Pediatric cardiac disease is a term that is used to describe different heart conditions or defects in children. The most common type of pediatric cardiac disease is cyanotic heart disease (congenital), which indicates that the children are born with the defect and the second type is acyanotic heart disease.

Cyanotic Heart Disease is a heart condition that is present in the children since birth. It affects the oxygen levels in the blood and brings them down. The most common symptom of this disease is a bluish tint to the skin. Some of the defects of this heart disease can obstruct the blood flow in the heart valves.

• Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
• Transposition of the great arteries (TGA)
• Tricuspid atresia
• Total anomalous pulmonary venous connection (TAPVC)
• Truncus arteriosus
• Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
• Tricuspid valve abnormalities

Acynotic Heart Disease is a congenital cardiac malformation which affects the atrial and ventricular walls, heart valves or large blood vessels. The symptoms of acyanotic heart disease are dependent on malformation and resulting impairment to the heart functioning.

• Ventricular septal defect
• Atrial septal defect (
• Atrioventricular septal defect
• Patent ductus arteriosus
• Pulmonary valve stenosis
• Aortic valve stenosis
• Coarctation of the aorta

There are several types of congenital heart diseases. If it affects the oxygen level in your body and lowers it down it is cyanotic and if does not affect the oxygen level in your body then it is called Acyanotic.

The symptoms of pediatric cardiac diseases are further categorized into serious and less serious congenital heart problems.

Serious congenital heart diseases

• Blue skin
• Quick breathing
• Swelling in the legs and abdomen
• Breathlessness during feedings

Less serious congenital heart diseases

• Breathlessness during exercises and activities
• Getting tired easily with exercises or activities
• Swelling in the hands, ankles, and feet