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• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged 1-3 >> Interview CH04 >> They felt very supported by the cardiac liaison nurse, intensive care and ward nurses.

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 under 1 >> Interview CH31 >> Felt communication between nurses on the cardiac ward could have been better.

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 CH06 >> Advises parents to talk to health professionals and other parents about the support that is available.

Their daughter was diagnosed with Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome, Tricuspid Valve, Coarctation of the Aorta, Transposition of the Great Arteries. Treatment: A banding operation at 22 hrs old, repeated at 1 week old. A cardiac catheter at 10 months and a CP shunt at 1 yr. Further palliative operations planned. Current medication: Phenoxybenzamine Hydrochloride.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged 1-3 >> Interview CH23 >> The staff were very good at explaining what was happening when their newborn baby was transferred in the middle of the night to the specialist hospita

Caitlan was diagnosed with Pulmonary Atresia, VSD and Dextro cardia. Treatment: closed heart surgery at 48 hrs old and open heart surgery at 11 months old. Further surgery planned when their daughter is older. Current medication: none.

• Heart disease >> Parents of children with congenital heart disease >> Child aged over 5 >> Interview CH19 >> The family spent several hours in a private room with her son when he died in hospital, which had been a very important time for them.

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.