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• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged under 1 >> Interview CH31 >> Describes their baby's symptoms and the missed diagnosis by several health professionals.

Vikram was diagnosed with a large ventricular septal defect (VSD) at 3 months old. He had corrective open heart surgery to close the VSD at four and a half months old. He is recovering well and no further treatment is expected. Current medication: none.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged 1-3 >> Interview CH04 >> For 5 weeks the health visitor told her she was being over anxious about her baby's symptoms. She saw her GP & was immediately referred to hospital wh

Their daughter was diagnosed with Truncus Arteriosus. Treatment: Surgery at 5 weeks old to fit a conduit and repair the hole. Cardiac catheterisation planned for pre-school. Current medication: captopril.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged 1-3 >> Interview CH29 >> She followed her gut instinct that her baby's symptoms were serious and this saved her baby's life.

Lee was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome. Treatment: Flecainide up until 14 months old. Possibility of radio frequency ablation when Lee is older (age 10 plus). Current medication: none.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged over 5 >> Interview CH21 >> Her concerns about her baby's symptoms were not taken seriously by the health visitor or her GP until she saw a different GP who noticed that she was

Their daughter was diagnosed with Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Circulation. She had open heart surgery at 5 months old. Current medication: none.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged 1-3 >> Interview CH20 >> Their GP noticed a loud heart murmur at his routine six week check-up. They were referred to the hospital immediately and he was diagnosed with tetral

Toby was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallots and mild branch pulmonary stenosis at six weeks old. Treatment: he had a catheter at 6 months old and corrective open heart surgery at 8 months old. Current medication: none.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged 4-5 >> Interview CH26 >> Describe their daughter's symptoms and diagnosis with a partial ventricular septal defect at the age of 2 and a half years.

Her daughter was diagnosed with Partial Ventricular Septal Defect after GP noticed a heart murmur when she was two. Treatment: open heart surgery to repair hole and mend the valve at 2½ yrs old. Pacemaker fitted 5 days after surgery. Possibility of further surgery in the future. Current medication: none.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged under 1 >> Interview CH31 >> Describes feelings of fear, disbelief and anger when his 3 month old son was diagnosed with a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD).

Vikram was diagnosed with a large ventricular septal defect (VSD) at 3 months old. He had corrective open heart surgery to close the VSD at four and a half months old. He is recovering well and no further treatment is expected. Current medication: none.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged 1-3 >> Interview CH12 >> Describes the support she received from her GP.

Their daughter was diagnosed with ostium primum Atrial Septal Defect (ASD). Treatment: Surgery at 18 months old to close the hole with a dacron patch. Stitches in the mitral valve. No further surgery planned. Current medication: none.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged 4-5 >> Interview CH09 >> Describes finding it very hard to ask for help but that once her health visitor was told about her problem she had become very supportive.

Their son was diagnosed with Coarctation of the Aorta, PDA, Bicuspid Aortic Valve, Hypoplastic Aortic Arch, VSD, Mitral Stenosis and Pulmonary Hypertension. Treatment: Surgery at 3 weeks old, mitral valve replacement at 2.5 years. 2 cardiac catheterisations at 2½ yrs and at 3½ yrs. Further mitral valve replacement planned. Current medication: warfarin.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged 1-3 >> Interview CH07 >> Their baby needed constant oxygen. It was made available all over their house and they insisted on being provided with small cylinders to use outside

Felix was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Left Ventricle, VSD, Mitral Atresia, Pulmonary Atresia, Right Atrial Isomerism, aorta arising from the right ventricle, TAPVD and Bilateral Superior Vena Cava and no spleen. Treatment: modified BT shunt (6 days old) open heart surgery (3 months and 6 months), 1st stage Fontan (10 months). Further surgery planned. Current medication: warfarin, enanapril, frusemide, penicillin.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged 1-3 >> Interview CH20 >> She had to take holiday leave when her son was having his operation and make up her hours and advises other parents to get a certificate from their GP

Toby was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallots and mild branch pulmonary stenosis at six weeks old. Treatment: he had a catheter at 6 months old and corrective open heart surgery at 8 months old. Current medication: none.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged over 5 >> Interview CH02 >> She found it difficult to cope when she brought her baby home from hospital.

Thomas was diagnosed with Tricuspid Atresia, Transposition of the Great Arteries and Coarctation of the Aorta. Treatment: An arterial switch operation at 36 hrs old followed by a BT shunt at 5 months, a Kawashima at 33 months and a Fontan at age 7. Current medication: wafarin.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged over 5 >> Interview CH19 >> Her GP had talked through and explained the pathologists report with her following her son's post mortem.

Luke (1996-2002) was diagnosed with coarctation of the aorta, transposition of the great arteries, VSD, pulmonary stenosis and double inlet left ventricle. He died when he was nearly 6 yrs old after his fourth operation (not including cardiac catheters). He had epilepsy and asthma and was quite ill at times. Medication: warfarin, medicines for asthma and epilepsy, diuretics after operations. Family live 15 miles from the specialist hospital.