HOUSTON — February is American Heart Month, and Joselyn St. Onge has a story she wants every parent to hear.
She says for years, she always suspected her son Sam’s heart wasn’t functioning as it should.
“He couldn’t pass a swim test to become a lifeguard, because he couldn’t swim the length of the pool underwater,” says Joselyn. “And that didn’t make sense for such an active teenager.”
When the St. Onge family moved to Houston last year, she took Sam to a see Dr. Monica Arrango with UT Physicians for the first time.
The visit confirmed what Joselyn had been telling other pediatricians for years.
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“[Dr. Arrango] was listening to his heart and she said, ‘I don’t know what it is, but it just feels like it’s working too hard,’” Joselyn said.
They were then referred to pediatric cardiologist Dr. Adrienne Walton, also with UT Physicians, who discovered Sam had an atrial septal defect – essentially, a hole in his heart.
“He had a really large hole in the top two chambers, causing blood to flow backwards and making his heart work harder to pump blood.”
Sam’s condition was congenital and had worsened over the years.
Dr. Walton says, had it not been discovered at all, the 16-year old was at risk of serious medical issues as he approached adulthood.
“He could develop pulmonary hypertension, chronic lung disease – even heart failure,” Dr. Walton said.
Sam’s condition required open-heart surgery to repair the hole, and six weeks out, he says he’s feeling great.
“My heart is no longer pounding out of my chest,” Sam said. “I can feel a really big difference.”
Sam says he’s excited to getting back to running track and riding his bike.
Dr. Walton said it's all possible because Sam’s mother did what she wants every parent to do – take their kids for their annual check-up.
“Schedule regular visits with your pediatrician,” Dr. Walton urged. “Even when you think all is well, you want to make sure there isn’t anything lurking without any symptoms in the background.”
Dr. Walton said signs and symptoms of cardiac issues in children include:
- Shortness of breath even during low-intensity activities
- A racing heart
- Chest pain
- Dizziness or fainting, especially after physical activity
She said babies with heart issues tend to have trouble gaining weight steadily, might vomit often or sweat profusely.