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Life support during heart surgery

During heart surgery, your child will likely be supported by mechanical ventilation, cardiopulmonary bypass, extracorporeal life support, hemoconcentration, circulatory arrest, or selective cerebral perfusion.

How respiratory therapists help children with congenital heart conditions

Health A-Z

A respiratory therapist (RT) is a health professional specially trained to help patients with breathing disorders. An RT will help care for your child after heart surgery.

Heart transplants

Health A-Z

A heart transplant is surgery that replaces a heart that is not working properly with a healthy donor heart. Learn about heart transplants for children.

At home after heart surgery

Health A-Z

Learn what to expect in the weeks and months after a child's heart surgery and how you can help your child to go back to a normal life.

Surgical teams for children with heart conditions

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Learn about surgical teams committed specifically to children with heart conditions.

Pre-operative visit for heart surgery

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Before your child has heart surgery, you will need to come in for a pre-operative visit. The team will assess your child's health and answer any questions you have about the operation.

Congenital heart disease: Looking ahead

Health A-Z

In this section of the site, you will learn about the issues children born with congenital heart condition may face at different ages.

After heart surgery: Caring for your child

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Children need extra care and attention after heart surgery. Read about care after heart surgery including diet, pain management and school.

Ongoing care after heart surgery

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Learn about ongoing care for children with congenital heart disease. Frequency of evaluation, adult care, and non-cardiac surgery are discussed.

Social & emotional effects for children with heart disease

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Learn about the social and emotional effects that congenital heart disease might have on a child.

Body image for children with heart disease

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Learn about helping those with congenital heart disease have a healthy body image. Read about issues that may arise, such as embarrassment over scars.

Congestive heart failure

Health A-Z

The causes of heart failure in children are often very different than in adults. Discover what causes heart failure in children, how it is diagnosed and possible treatments.

Heart conditions resources

Health A-Z

Books and websites with information about heart conditions in children.

Interrupted aortic arch

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Learn about interrupted aortic arch in children. This is a defect of the aorta not developing properly, and causes congestive heart failure.

Congenital heart conditions: After heart surgery

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Read about post-surgery recovery. How long a child spends recovering depends on the severity of the condition he's being treated for, among other factors.

Congenital heart defects: Information for teachers

Health A-Z

A teacher's guide to congenital heart defects. Learn what you can do to help and what to expect if one of your students has a congenital heart defect.

Child and health-care provider high-fiving. Child sits on hospital bed and health-care provider crouches in front of her

Speech-language pathology services during hospital admission(s)

Learn about how complex medical conditions and admissions to the hospital can impact speech and language development in children.

During scoliosis surgery

Health A-Z

Find out what happens when your child enters the operating room to when they are moved into their room. A guide for what your child can expect during scoliosis surgery.

Organ and tissue donation by children with a heart condition

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Learn about organ and tissue donation by children with a heart condition.

How to prepare as a caregiver for your child’s surgery

Health A-Z

Parents/caregivers may experience a lot of emotions when they learn their child needs surgery. Learn strategies to help you prepare yourself before the surgery so that you can better support your child.

Activity recommendations for infants and toddlers after heart surgery

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Following heart surgery, children require extra care and attention. Learn which positions and activities infants and toddlers must avoid after heart surgery.

The health-care team: Who will be taking care of your child on the day of surgery?

Health A-Z

When your child comes to the hospital for surgery, you will meet many different members of the health-care team. Learn about the role each of these people play in your child’s care.

Marfan syndrome and congenital heart conditions

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Marfan syndrome is a rare hereditary disorder of connective tissue. About 60% to 80% of people with this syndrome have heart problems.

Child life specialists for blood and marrow transplant/cellular therapy

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Learn how child life specialists can help during your child's blood and marrow transplant/cellular therapy.

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS)

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Learn about hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS). This condition involves the left side of the heart being underdeveloped, and is extremely serious.