Heart disease in children is one of the most common reasons for parents to visit a pediatrician. One out of every hundred children has heart diseases and it can be said that heart diseases have a significant prevalence. Fortunately, nowadays, according to the available facilities, it is possible to identify all heart diseases in children, including CT scan, MRI, angiography, etc., all these things can be of significant help in diagnosing children's heart diseases. Timely treatment is important in this type of disease, if timely treatment is done for these children, this disease and the symptoms associated with it can be cured 100%. Symptoms of heart disease in children Symptoms of heart disease in children can be different and sometimes subtle. Some important signs include rapid or labored breathing, early fatigue during play or daily activities, pale or bluish skin, especially around the lips and nails, excessive sweating, and swelling in the abdomen, legs, or around the eyes. If a child has nutritional problems or improper weight gain, it may also be one of the symptoms of heart disease. Parents' attention to these symptoms and consultation with a doctor can help early diagnosis and effective treatment. ### Bruises in hands and feet Although the short bruises at the ends of the hands and feet are often caused by cold and are usually not worrisome, some breast-fed infants with congenital heart diseases get bruises in the first days after birth, and in most cases, the severity of these bruises increases with age. Another symptom of congenital heart disease in infants is shortness of breath or increased breathing rate, which usually increases again during feeding. ### Premature fatigue Early fatigue is also a symptom of congenital heart disease. Often, the infant gets so tired that he refuses to continue feeding or falls asleep, because the baby is not satisfied and wakes up very early due to hunger. ### Improper weighing Another cause of this disease is improper weight gain, which can occur for many reasons and it is necessary to investigate the cause according to the conditions of each patient. Read more => Sore throat in children Some of the symptoms of congenital heart disease in children may be similar to those of infants, but one of the common symptoms in children is shortness of breath during exercise, so these patients cannot continue sports activities like their peers. Chest pain This pain usually occurs when the child is active, of course, unlike adults with heart disease, chest pain is not common in children, and if present, it usually has a non-cardiac cause. ### Heart palpitations Heart palpitations are also one of the symptoms of heart diseases in children, which are more aggravated during activity. ### Sweating a lot This case can also be a symptom of congenital heart disease in children. A child with heart disease may have one or more of the above-mentioned symptoms at the same time. It should be noted that if none of the mentioned symptoms were present in the child, it cannot rule out heart diseases, it is necessary to perform the necessary examinations with a pediatrician regularly. Most of the children with congenital diseases of children do not have any symptoms in the first stage, and when they refer to a pediatrician for other reasons such as a cold, their disease is discovered. ### Genetic factor in heart disease Genetics is the most important factor of this disease. Sometimes, some children genetically have a history of heart disease, if two people in a family have heart disease, the third child may have a 20-fold increase in the chance of heart disease. Causes of heart disease in children Among the causes that cause heart diseases in children are as follows: ### Congenital heart defects These types of defects are present from birth and can include structural problems such as holes in the heart wall or abnormalities in the heart valves. These defects may be caused by genetic problems or environmental factors during pregnancy. ### Specific infections Certain infections such as rheumatic fever or viral infections such as coxsackie virus can damage the heart and lead to heart disease in children. ### Chronic diseases Diseases such as high blood pressure or diabetes, even in children, can affect the heart and increase the risk of heart disease. ### Genetic diseases Some rare genetic diseases can affect the function of the heart. These diseases may cause problems in the muscles or structure of the heart. ### Environmental factors and pregnancy Factors such as the use of certain drugs, the use of alcohol or drugs by the mother during pregnancy, exposure to certain chemicals affect the heart health of the fetus. Paying attention to these causes and conducting regular examinations can help early diagnosis and effective treatment of heart diseases in children.