Oval window in the heart in a newborn and an older child

Why is an open foramen ovale diagnosed in a child's heart? What kind of pathology is this, is it dangerous for the life and health of a small person? Parents may have different questions regarding what are the reasons for the development of the defect, whether the mother is to blame for this. This is quite natural, because they are worried about the health of the baby.

It is important to understand that this state of the heart is absolutely normal for a child who is still in the womb.

After birth, the window should normally close, otherwise there are obstacles to normal blood circulation through the lungs.

Reasons for the development of pathology

The human heart normally consists of two parts. Each of them has partitions made of connective tissue. The diagnosis of "open oval window" means that the hole in the septum between the atria has not completely closed.

If the open foramen ovale is not present in the fetus, or if it is not sufficiently open, it can lead to fetal death. Even if it was possible to survive in the mother's womb, the child dies after birth, less often he develops right ventricular heart failure.

Very rarely, the closing process lasts two or more years. The defect can be diagnosed using ultrasound.

The mechanism of development of the anomaly has not yet been thoroughly studied, its causes have not been fully established.

Doctors believe that the factors contributing to the appearance of this defect are:

• the birth of a child before the predetermined date, when the baby is premature;
• poor ecological state of the environment;
• hereditary predisposition to diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• the impact of chemicals on the body of a pregnant woman;
• frequent stress and unstable psycho-emotional state of the mother of the child during pregnancy.

It is believed that the highest chances of an anomaly occur in children whose mothers abused alcohol or drugs during pregnancy and lactation.

In a healthy child, the window is closed with a valve. This process is slow. If, as a result of a genetic predisposition, the size of the valve is smaller than the size of the window, the latter remains open, but the function of the heart is not impaired. If the child nevertheless developed this anomaly, most likely, it will not be possible to get rid of it, but there is no need for this, because the open oval window in the heart in children has almost no effect on their life.

Symptoms of the disease

Often in newborns, this anomaly does not manifest itself in any way. Diagnosis can be made at an older age. In some cases, a person finds out that his oval window did not close as an adult.

If the defect is small, it is almost impossible to detect it without ultrasound examination.

If the dimensions are medium, the defect may be manifested by such signs:

• bluish color of the skin in the lip area, the blue becomes more expressive when the baby screams, cries, coughs;
• increased fatigue;
• dizziness;
• loss of consciousness;
• poor condition of the immune system;
• frequent colds;
• pathology of the respiratory system.

If you notice any of these signs in your child, this should be a signal that you need to be examined by a cardiologist. After carrying out the necessary diagnostic measures, the specialist determines the size of the defect, the general condition of the heart, how it copes with the incoming load.

There are cases when an open oval window is accompanied by complex pathologies and heart defects. Then immediate therapy is needed to prevent the development of complications and minimize the risks to the child.

Diagnosis of the disease

A pediatrician can detect an open oval window in children during examination, because when listening in the heart, noises are clearly audible. There is a doctor who suspects this defect in the child, he writes out a referral for examination by a cardiologist.

The main diagnostic methods are:

1. ultrasound.
2. ECG.

With their help, you can confirm or refute the diagnosis, determine the size of the open window. These methods do not pose any danger to either the newborn or older children. They allow you to get a detailed picture of the anomaly, after which the doctor already decides whether to simply monitor the condition of the heart or prescribe therapy.

When determining the treatment algorithm, the doctor should consider the following indicators:

• the age of the child;
• health status of a small patient;
• accompanying illnesses;
• whether there is an allergy to drugs;
• are there any contraindications.

Only an experienced doctor who has previously encountered similar cases in his practice can make an accurate diagnosis. Since the disease does not specifically manifest itself, it can be detected when studying other pathological disorders.

The following signs should prompt the idea of ​​referring a doctor to a cardiologist:

1. Under load, cyanosis of the skin in the lip area is manifested.
2. Until the age of 10, a child may lag behind in development - both physically and mentally.
3. Children between the ages of 13 and 15 are less hardy than their peers.
4. Due to poor blood flow and insufficient supply to the organs of the respiratory system, the child develops diseases such as pneumonia, bronchitis.

Treatment of an open oval window

What to do if a child is diagnosed with an open foramen ovale? Many parents are concerned about this very issue. If the defect does not appear, does not disturb the small patient, treatment is not carried out, you just need to be regularly examined by a cardiologist, to monitor the condition of the heart. In a newborn, the defect can overgrow; in older children, the body adapts to this state of affairs. Doctors recommend avoiding a strong load on the heart and respiratory organs, do not scream, do not cough (to protect the child from colds), do not go in for swimming and heavy sports, do not dive and do not hold your breath for a long time.

When is treatment needed?

An open oval window poses a danger to the life and health of a child if he is diagnosed with such concomitant diseases:

• pulmonary hypertension;
• pathology of the respiratory system;
• thromboembolism.

Thromboembolism is a particular danger to the health and life of a child, so it is necessary to take all measures to prevent its occurrence.

When blood clots enter the pulmonary artery, they are carried to all internal organs:

1. Blood clots in the blood vessels of the brain can cause a stroke.
2. If clots accumulate in the coronary vessels, myocardial infarction occurs.
3. When the arteries of the extremities are blocked, their ischemia occurs, they can die.

Blood clotting increases, and at the same time the risk of blood clots, if the patient underwent massive surgical interventions, was in an inactive state for a long time, the following disorders were diagnosed:

• atrial fibrillation;
• aneurysms of blood vessels and heart.

If these factors are present, the patient is prescribed blood-thinning drugs (anticoagulants). The dose and mode of administration is determined in each case individually.

Surgery

There are cases when a surgical solution to the defect is indicated, but there must be good reasons for this.

Assign surgery in such cases:

• the diameter of the open window is more than 9 mm;
• blood is thrown out more than normal;
• complications from the respiratory or cardiovascular systems appear;
• the patient has limited activity;
• there are contraindications to taking medications.

Today, the problem is solved without extensive surgical, open operations, there are more gentle ways to correct the defect, for example, endovascular technique. Its essence lies in the fact that a special catheter is inserted through the femoral artery, under the supervision of ultrasound and ECG, the sashes are glued with these instruments, the window is closed. The material remains inside, over time it dissolves. This is a highly effective technique that allows you to completely correct the defect and return the patient to a normal rhythm of life.