Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are conditions that are present at birth and can affect the structure of a baby’s heart and the way it works. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) provides fact sheets, articles, patient stories and more to help you understand CHDs and their affect across the lifespan.

The American Heart Association provides information and resources on congenital heart defects (CHDs).

Information is available in English and Spanish.

Children with congenital heart defects and disease (CHD) will need lifelong care from congenital heart experts. The Adult Congenital Heart Association provides this brochure to help parents of children born with CHDs support their child’s lifelong heart health.

“When Your Child Has a Heart Defect” brochure in English 

Cuando su Niño(a) Tiene Un Defecto de Corazón

Mended Little Hearts and St. Jude Medical partnered to create this digital resource guide for parents and caregivers of children with congenital heart disease or defects (CHD).

Medical professionals and parents worked together on this guide to provide accurate and honest information that addresses the tough feelings, questions and concerns parents and caregivers may have.

Go to The Mended Hearts, Inc. HeartGuides page and scroll down to see the Mended Little HeartGuide in English and Spanish.

A number of heart conditions can affect children. Some are structural abnormalities they are born with. Others deal with the electrical system that controls the heartbeat.

HealthyChildren.org, the official parenting site of the American Academy of Pediatrics, provides numerous articles and information about heart conditions, including common heart defects in children, the challenges faced by parents of children with congenital heart disease, dental care for children with heart conditions and more.

The American Heart Association’s Support Network, in partnership with The Children’s Heart Foundation, provides a Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) Support Network for parents of young children diagnosed with CHDs or adults living with a CHD.

Exceptional Children’s Charities provides resources to benefit exceptional children with special needs in Chicago’s Southland.

The charity can provide financial support to supply wheelchairs, stand-up chairs, medical supplies, special learning tools and adaptive technology devices to foster learning and improve day-to-day life. Assistance can also be provided for medical and dental bills that are not covered by insurance or public aid.

The Center of Concern is a non-profit social service agency providing housing solutions, support services and counselors for individuals with disabilities, older adults and others in need in Cook County, enabling them to live safely and independently.

Northern Illinois Food Bank has launched My Pantry Express, an online source for groceries. The program allows families in need of food assistance to choose specific grocery items and pick them up at a preferred participating location.

Pickup locations are available in the following counties: DeKalb, DuPage, Lake, Will, Winnebago.

Thumbuddy Special is a non-profit organization that was started by a group of special education teachers and therapists to raise money to provide adaptive equipment for children with special needs.

Thumbuddy Special supplies equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, bath chairs, adapted bikes, ramps and computers. In addition, the nonprofit offers scholarships to children to attend local special recreation camps in the summer.