The Heart of a Child: What Families Need to Know About Heart Disorders in Children

Tens of thousands of children are born each year with heart disorders. This volume seeks to provide reliable information from medical experts for the families of children with heart disorders. With changes in treatment and new knowledge about genetics, as well as changes in the system for health care delivery, the authors have updated the text and illustrations in this second edition to reflect the developments in understanding and treating heart problems in children. Topics new to the second edition include: new and updated information on the genetics of heart defects, including syndromes associated with heart defects; descriptions of new approaches to treatment, including surgery and medication; dealing with managed care; advances in prenatal care; updated list of websites, references and resources for families; and a note to grandparents. Written by experts in paediatric cardiology from the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions and the University of Utah Medical Center, this second edition uses case examples, questions and answers, detailed drawings, and careful descriptions to explain the causes of heart disorders, how they are discovered and diagnosed, how they affect children, and how they are treated.