Baby with a cold after Transposition of the Great Vessels ???

[outinthesticksmummy]

Hi

Don't know if theres anyone out their that can give me some advice??

I have a 3 yr old and 16wk twin girls. At birth one of mt twins was desperatly ill and diagnosed with Transposition of the Great Vessels (TGA) she was transferred to Glenfield and operated on within 12 hrs, then had her arterial Switch operation a week later, she has made an amazing recovery and was home within 3 wks.

This week all three girls have been full of the cough and cold, all 3 are following the same pattern. I am just a bit more anxious about my DD that had the switch - maybe paranoid?? she is chesty and coughing and flushed red - just like my other two, her general colour is good, no blue bits (just her hands yesterday but it was bloody freezing!!!) do i need to be more cautious with her, do you think?? maybe get her checked out and antibiotics?? could her cold affect her more?? HAven't been told anything by the hospital about what to do, and to be honest didn't think at the time - couldn't think that far ahead.

???? What do you think??

I would probably get her checked out, may just be a cold, may not, but I dont think the GP would mind looking over her. She is just a few months after very major surgery.

Sorry, just got home from work and saw this - if you are worried, give the ward she was on a ring, and ask if you could speak to one of the medical team for some advice. I would think she'd be fine, but I'm sure it's worrying for you.The staff will be usedto these kind of calls (Is she about 14 weeks post op? If so, sternum will be well healed and able to handle the coughing and sneezing! ) Hope they all get better soon!

I second the advice to phone the ward. I'm sure that they will set your mind at rest.

I spent the first two years of my eldest sons life fearing the most simple of coughs and colds. You worry that you will discount something that actually turns out to be important. Well done you for asking for advice....much better than waiting and worrying.

How are you? You've had a huge amount to cope with haven't you. [Offers shoulder]

I second the advice to phone the ward. I'm sure that they will set your mind at rest.

I spent the first two years of my eldest sons life fearing the most simple of coughs and colds. You worry that you will discount something that actually turns out to be important. Well done you for asking for advice....much better than waiting and worrying.

How are you? You've had a huge amount to cope with haven't you. [Offers shoulder]

I have no idea how I did that!

Outinthesticksmummy - hello

My dd had a partial repair of her heart defects at 14 weeks. They're a blimmin worry aren't they? I'm sure dd is probably fine but get her checked out if you're worried. Keep an eye out for the 'usual' heart failure symptoms - breathless, sweaty, refusing feeds etc. Do you have a cardiac liasion nurse? I'm pretty sure there will be one at the Glenfield. The heart ward should be able to give you her name and direct line/pager number.

I post on the message board at Heartline there's always someone around if you need a bit of advice or reassurance. Come and say hello.

Awww thanks so much for your replies. Really did put me at ease. I took her to the GP this afternoon who said all was well, just a cold. Told me to look out for swelling, sweatiness, breathlessness etc so that has reassured me. Thought about phoning the ward, but didn't know if i could after all this time. Nobody has said anything to us about a cardiac liason nurse?? Have a review appt there end of the month so this time i'm going armed with questions!! before it was all so rushed - such an emergency that we were jusr relieved and desperate to get her home we didn't think to ask much.

Thanks for the heartline link, i've just registered so will come over and have a look.

It has been really difficult, but it seems like a lifetime ago now, then something comes along and reminds you how serious it all was. At the time i had 1 twin in one hospital - she was born breech and flat, but they revived her, had a slight VSD, which seems to have closed now thank god, then another twin at Glenfield and a desperate toddler at home wondering where her mummy and new baby sisters were????? my heart was split in 3, but we got there.

Thanks again xx

Just keep on trucking.

My eldest was born with congenital lobar emphysema and had a lobectomy when he was just over 4 months old. We were on a ward with lots of babies with profound heart and lung problems and I really felt for the mums with more than one child to look after.

When I was pregnant with my second boy, a scan was misread and I was sent up to Bristol to discuss managing the birth as they thought my son had transposition. I have to say that the thought of another major op on a little babe nearly tipped me over the edge. It's the tiredness that comes with babies combined with underlying worry that can catch you out I find. I used to despair when well meaning friends would turn up with children dripping with snot as I knew the worry would just start all over again. My poor little baby is now a huge, smelly 12yo.

I hope that you all feel fit and well again soon.

Just saying hi as another mum of a "heart baby" I also post on HL sometimes so possibly "see" you there. Not easy is it, find it helps to have lots of support from people who know what you're going through. Hope your DS is ok bless her xxx