Growth Pattern and Characteristics of Cardiac Pediatric Patients Attending Assiut University Children Hospital and Sidi Galal Health Insurance Clinic

At birth, the weight and length of children with CHD are close to normal and APGAR scores are generally high. Cyanotic patients are affected in growth, depending on the severity of tissue hypoxemia and on the degree of physiological variation. Mostly acute malnutrition occurs in a cyanotic heart disease but chronic malnutrition occurs in cyanotic lesions. The severity of malnutrition variety from mild under nutrition to failure to thrive. impairing growth and increasing post-operative morbidity and mortality. Early rapid growth retardation detection in early age and improved nutritional status have the potential to reduce cardiac impact on growth and feeding. Insure appropriate nutrition in those patients by the two main methods (enteral and parenteral) help in better outcome