Lest we forget Experiences in Heart Failure during Infancy and Early Childhood
Timely identification and management of congenital heart diseases and other cardiac problems in infants is tantamount to preventing death, inoperability and long term sequel. This also helps to anticipate and treat heart failure and tackle issues which could precipitate or worsen this complication till a corrective surgery could be carried out. It is important to educate the parents as well as primary health care providers who are directly involved in management of such children. Advances in technology have facilitated diagnosis of critical congenital heart problems as early as pre natal stage for certain diseases and institute safe confinement at centres where sick new borns could either be operated upon or stabilized and referred for surgical or interventional procedures. However, it is easy to overlook diagnoses of cardiac problems in infancy and early childhood when working in busy conditions or resource poor primary care settings. The author narrates some of the clinical cues which would help a pediatrician to detect and manage such condition.