Turns out the murmur is benign and nothing to worry about, but the ultrasound showed something unexpected, that has nothing to do with the heart murmur. She has a PFO.
While a baby grows in the womb, there is a normal opening between the left and right atria (upper chambers) of the heart.
This is where the baby gets blood supply from the placenta.
If this opening fails to close naturally soon after the baby is born, the hole is called patent foramen ovale (PFO).
Come to think of it, neither can her father. The school nurse sent home a note with Logan when he was in 2nd grade stating that he is color blind, and he would not be able to control air traffic, or go scuba diving. So Téa and her Daddy can sit out the scuba diving together.
I'm including this picture so Téa will have it when she grows older.
Has anyone heard of a PFO before?
12 comments:
I have never heard of this before. Can this ever be surgically corrected? In Logan's case, what does being color blind and not being able to go scuba diving have to do with each other? Or maybe I'm just not reading and comprehending everything.
Since Logan can't tell red from green (or so the test says) he may press the wrong button underwater and sink rather than swim. Or cut off his air supply. 2 of his brothers are color blind, also.
Oh and no, I don't think the Dr said anything about surgery.
Interesting what a new day will bring. All have challenges. All of your grandchildren are too cute for words. Proof? Pretty much any blog you've ever posted with grandchildren in them!!! Love, Dad and Susan
The way I read the x-ray I would be less concerned about the PFO and more concerned about the aorta that is closed off...
Logan probably shouldn't drive either...like my friend from Richfield used to say, we don't have a traffic light yet but we're picking out the colors for our first one.
My daughter had a pfo. Except we are in Australia and they called in an atrial septal defect (asd). We found out when she was 5. She needed surgery as it was the full length of the atrial wall which Is why it was never picked up. She is now 9 and is fully recovered and will need no further medical treatment. And she sports a nice open heart surgery scar.
Very interesting Vicky. So how did you know she had a problem at age 5? What were her symptoms?
Hi Jill
She was having constant unexplained tummy aches that went on for a few months. After many trips to the doctors we were sent to a paediatrician who hapless to listen to her heart and thought he heard something. Lucky considering the cardiologists at the childrens hospital ouldnt even hear it. We had a ultrasound that showed the hole and it went from there. She was perfectly healthy until then, hadn't even had a cold. All the usual symptoms such as tiredness, breathlessness etc weren't present but once she'd had the operation we could certainly see the improvement!! She was only in hospital for 3 days... Forlorn heart surgery.
Vicky...So interesting how stomach aches would lead to the heart diagnosis. How wonderful that your daughter if fine, and that is all in the past for you both!
I never had heard of it, but I'm glad it will cause her so little trouble.
=)
Any fishing requires a suitably arranged transducer.
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