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congenital heart defect

It’s no surprise that children diagnosed with cardiac disease often experience anxiety or depression. Their caregivers may also struggle with mental health as they navigate treatment. Dr. Erica Sood and Dr. Joselyn Kenowitz, both pediatric psychologists at the Nemours Cardiac Center at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware emphasize the importance of providing mental health support in cardiac settings to address challenges early and prevent worsening issues. Their work highlights the need for comprehensive mental health programs  from diagnosis through young adulthood, with initiatives like HEARTPrep for prenatal support and the Milestones Program to address developmental and mental health needs. The goal is to ensure families are prepared for the mental health impacts of congenital heart disease (CHD) and have access to necessary resources. 1. How is mental health connected to cardiac care? Dr. Sood: The stress of cardiac care in the hospital and at home can affect the mental health of […]

My mom has loved me from the very moment she knew I was in her belly. One day, during a routine ultrasound, her fetal care team found a single-vessel umbilical cord. This was concerning since my right kidney was found to be missing during previous anatomy scans. My mom remembers the sonographer looking concerned, telling her that she’d be right back. The next thing she knew, three physicians including her OB/GYN were in the room looking at the monitor with concerned looks of their own. It was at that time that her doctor shared, “the baby has a hole in her heart.” My mom was quickly referred to a pediatric cardiologist for a fetal echocardiogram and a confirmed diagnosis. Throughout my childhood, I went from doctor to doctor, specialist to specialist, until my family and I fell in love with Nemours Children’s Health, Pensacola. The staff at Nemours have been […]

Kaii was diagnosed with a serious congenital heart defect while still in the womb. With the help of experts at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Delaware, Kaii is healthy and meeting his developmental milestones

Win or lose, 15-year-old Capucine Jauffret never gives up. Her mom and dad, Jennifer and Christophe, attribute Capucine’s instinctive determination to a time when she had to fight for her life—a time Capucine won’t remember, and her parents won’t ever forget. When Capucine was born, doctors heard loud murmurs in her heart and diagnosed her with a congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot, which causes oxygen-poor blood to flow out of the heart and into the rest of the body. At just 17-days-old, Capucine had life-saving open heart surgery to repair her heart. “We are incredibly blessed the doctors were able to perform the operation before Capucine had any significant problems,” said Jennifer. “Fortunately, technology changed, and we didn’t have to wait until she was older and her heart was bigger like other children with this condition have in the past.” “I was thrilled and delighted to hear about […]

For the Tsoflias family, the past year has been a roller coaster of emotion, disbelief, heartbreak and ultimately, hope. It all began when a routine 20-week ultrasound revealed an abnormality. Brittany, an expectant first-time mom, was referred to Nemours Children’s fetal cardiologist, Shubhika Srivastava for a fetal echo and soon learned that her baby had a very rare congenital heart defect called Ebstein’s Anomaly.  The defect is linked to an abnormality in the tricuspid valve, causing it to leak and if left unchecked, would result in heart failure. To correct the defect, surgery would be required.  Knowing that her baby would need highly specialized heart care immediately after birth, Brittany delivered Vea through the Advanced Delivery Program at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. “What an amazing experience. I felt special, says Brittany, because everyone went above and beyond for me.” Recognized as a surgical expert in this type of complex heart […]