Prospects for Recovery with Heart Defects

The prospects for recovery depend upon the following:

The nature and severity of the abnormality and the function of the heart muscle
The condition of the patient before surgery
The availability of medical resources and appropriate treatment

Congenital heart disease was once relatively hopeless diagnosis for many infants and children. Today, with the ever–expanding realm of medical knowledge, personnel and technology available to so many patients, children with a wide range of congenital heart defects are receiving treatment that enables them to live long, healthy, active and productive lives.

Recent studies note that while congenital heart disease children tended to have lower IQ scores than their peers, the congenital heart disease children are in age–appropriate grade levels and engaged in normal youth activities. While there is still evidence that children with Congenital heart disease are more likely to struggle with learning disabilities or neurological problems, researchers say that the gap in these areas between Congenital heart disease and healthy children is narrowing.