Some Facts About Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
A combination of various heart as well as great blood vessels abnormalities cause Hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
This syndrome presents at the time of birth which indicates these defects in the heart take place because of unusual slow development of some sections in the fetal heart. The situation occurs in the first eight weeks of pregnancy.
Children with HLHS have underdeveloped and small most of left side heart structures and this underdevelopment is different in different children. Mitral valve, left ventricle, aortic valve and aorta are some structures that usually affected by the condition.
However, underdeveloped and small left ventricle is considered the most serious defect in this condition.
Normally, this heart chamber is quite muscular and strong, but when it is underdeveloped or small, it’s not able to function is a proper way and fail to continue sufficient blood flow according to the requirements of the body.This is a reason behind surgical intervention among infants with this condition, as they can’t live long without it.
The syndrome has been noticed in almost every four out of 10,000 live births and usually this condition is a bit more common in boys than in girls.
There are higher chances of genetic links in various congenital heart defects. This genetic link may occur due to a defect in some gene or an abnormality of some chromosome, environmental exposure that may cause heart problems in some families. Abnormalities of some other organs in the body may also occur along with the syndrome that may be omphalocele, diaphragmatic hernia and hypospadias.
In many children, it has also been observed that there is no clear reason for the development of this condition.
The symptoms of the condition that are usually observed include pale skin, clammy or sweaty skin, blue color of the lips, nailbeds and the skin, rapid or heavy breathing etc. In infants with the syndrome, these various symptoms usually begin to develop shortly after the birth. You must consult your child’s physician for diagnosing the condition.
