Whats up with the bad Heart's

So, to start this update out, when Casey was 1 we had to take him to a heart specialist in Flagstaff and he was diagnosed with a hole in the heart between the two upper chambers. When your born, you are born with 2 upper chambers and 2 lower chambers. Casey has all 4 chambers but the 2 upper has an extra opening and usually this hole that Casey has is supposed to close its self by the time he was 4. The hole is where the chamber doesn't shut all the way allowing more blood than normal and faster than normal to travel to the heart. The doctor described it as a flap that moves back and forth allowing the blood to flow in and out. This defect is known as atrial septal defect (ASD). The condition is present from birth (congenital). Smaller atrial septal defects may close on their own during infancy or early childhood.

Large and long-standing atrial septal defects can damage your heart and lungs. An adult who has had an undetected atrial septal defect for decades may have a shortened life span from heart failure or high blood pressure in the lungs. Surgery is usually necessary to repair atrial septal defects to prevent complications.

Casey's defect was the smaller ASD and is not supposed to be too dangerous. I took Casey to the doctors a couple weeks ago and the doctor could still hear that the hole is infact still there and it shouldn't be. The Doc said no need to worry but he should still be paid close attention to. Heart problems run very highly on my dads side of the family, and only seems to affect the males. When you listen to Casey's heart you can hear the extra blood flowing, it is really cool to listen to, it sounds like an extra beat. Jared, my 4 year old was diagnosed with an abnormal heart rythem at 2 days old, he was actually still in the hispital. His bpm was only 77 which was not too much higher than my bpm, as all us moms know, new borns heart beats are supposed to be in the 100's for the first couple of years. Jared also went to the doctors when I took Casey and he still has the abnormal heart rythem and it is still only like 75 beats per minute. Jared will out grow this, but not untill he is an adult. This abnormality is not dangerous at all as long as it stays where it is and does not lower. Anthany, my 19 month old, so far does not have any heart problems like his brothers and the likley hood of him forming any now are very slim. All I have to say is thanks to the Dieterich's genitic heart problems that my 2 older boys have inherited...lol