Understanding Enlarged Heart in Infants: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

An enlarged heart or cardiomyopathy is one form of heart disease. An enlarged heart will have difficulty pumping the blood that the body needs. This condition is most common in children under one year old.

Effects

• Babies who have an enlarged heart will be lethargic, have problems gaining weight and will sweat and breathe heavily while eating.

Causes

• Known causes of an enlarged heart in babies include genetics, viral infections, metabolic disorders and coronary artery problems.

Identification

• To identify whether or not a baby has an enlarged heart, a doctor will perform a medical examination and take a family medical history. They will perform tests such as an electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, chest x-ray and computer tomography scan.

Treatments

• Treatments of an enlarged heart in a baby include blood thinners, diuretics and beta blockers.

Prognosis

• The prognosis for babies with an enlarged heart varies greatly with each particular child. About 1 percent of babies will die from this condition.