The most important thing to remember is that children should not be
allowed to grow up believing themselves to be more delicate, and therefore
different from others. Most of these children can lead ordinary childhood
lives and attend ordinary schools.
Some babies under one year of age with these troubles are more liable
to develop coughs with colds, and these infections should be treated more
seriously than in normal children. Many, however, are just as strong as
normal children. Many parents and doctors too are worried about how much these
children should be allowed to do in the way of exercise, games, etc.
Children like these are very sensible and can be allowed to limit their
own activity without restraint from their parents. Very occasionally,
under particular circumstances, a doctor may have to say “don’t do too
much”, and this must be obeyed. Parents worry about swimming, but as long
as this is done under supervision, it should be regarded, in the same way, as
other games. Bicycles and tricycles too are sometimes forbidden by people
who have forgotten that man invented the wheel to make it easier for him to
get about!
Mothers sometimes wonder if it hurts such babies if they cry. Of
course, such babies should be comforted when they do, just like all other
babies, but crying will do no harm. Screaming attacks, which may be
caused by pain, are important, and your doctor’s advice should be obtained
if these happen.
Many children with heart disease feel cold very easily, and tend to
show a more blue colour. Equally they do not feel as well if they are very
hot, so more care is needed in choosing the appropriate clothing for the
weather. Children with heart disease also find it particularly difficult to walk
against a wind, and so will get tired more easily.
The general rule is that these babies and children should be
treated, as far as possible, as if they were quite normal.
Very rarely such children get a special sort of infection in their
blood, caused by having bad teeth taken out, or by bad septic things like
boils, whitlows, running ears and septic wounds. So when children like
these have these conditions, they must, as a precaution against such
trouble (but not because they are delicate), be given some antibiotic by
the doctor or dentist.