Vascular ring in a baby - any thoughts?

[hrod]

Dear MNers,

Anyone had any experiences of a vascular ring in their LO? DD2 is 6 months old and has had a catalogue of niggles since birth. She has 2 holes in the heart – one small and one medium which wouldn’t require treatment until she’s 5 or so. However, she’s had all these weird seemingly unrelated problems since birth: chronic barking cough when crying; struggling to BF (I’m STILL pumping – argh!); choking when drinking, even from a bottle; constant bouts of bronchitis resulting in 4 hospital admissions in 4 months.

They’re looking at whether there are any underlying causes such as a floppy trachea, but she has all the symptoms of a vascular ring and I’m convinced it’s that. I’m going to push for a diagnosis when we go and see the paed tomorrow.

I was just wondering what peoples’ experiences are of symptoms in their LO; how it was diagnosed; and what it was like going through treatment?

Thanks so much!

Sort of...my little boy has something very similar. Its called an ARSA...an Abberrent Right Subclavian Artery which is virtually a Vascular Ring but it doesn't completely join up.

He is 3.5 so we've had 3 years of all the symptoms you've described. Feel free to PM me and I will try to help.

Hi yes my son had one, a double aortic arch. He was diagnosed at four months old after he became very ill with an infection that in most people would have caused a common cold. He had a major operation, but is nearly five now and hasn't been seriously ill since. Pm me if I can help.