Newborn Protection: What are Congenital Diseases?
Many parents don’t really know that there are insurance plans that cover babies, both in the womb and after birth. These medical insurance plans are specifically designed to protect a baby while they’re still in the womb, and will continue covering them after birth.
To clarify, these plans cover your unborn child and newborn against specific diseases, which include congenital diseases and infectious diseases. Congenital diseases are diseases that are inherited and present in the baby at birth. They may be caused by genetic or environmental factors.
The impacts of these congenital diseases can vary from none at all, to very significant. In this article we will be examining and explaining the common congenital diseases covered under insurance plans.
1. Anal Atresia
Very simply, Anal Atresia is a congenital defect whereby a baby does not develop an opening at the end of their digestive tract, i.e. at the end of their intestines where the anus should normally be. Anal Atresia is not common, and happens in about one every 1500 to 5000 live births. It is usually corrected via surgery. However, doctors will usually check for other abnormalities in the child as around 50% of babies suffering from this defect have abnormalities in other organs as well.
2. Atrial Septal Defect
The human heart is divided into four chambers and each chamber has its own important function in transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide to and from the blood. Some babies however, are born with a hole in the wall separating these chambers. For babies born with the Atrial Septal defect, the divider wall ( Septum) or the upper two chambers (Atrium) in their heart is where the hole is located.
3. Congenital Cataract
Although rare, it is possible for a baby to be born with cataracts, a condition whereby the lenses of the eyes are cloudy. This may result in a full or partial loss of vision for newborns. It is usually treated by surgery, whereby the clouded lenses are removed.
4. Congenital Deafness
Congenital deafness is a condition whereby a newborn experiences either full or partial hearing loss. This condition may be fully present at birth, or develops later and becomes more severe as the child grows. They’re usually treated by hearing aids and cochlear implants.
5. Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
The diaphragm is a muscle dividing our abdominal cavity from our chest cavity. It is important as it separates the organs in both areas so that all of them are able to grow and develop to their normal sizes. In babies with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH), their diaphragm is not well developed and does not close properly, causing their abdominal organs to push towards their chest organs. This can result in their lungs being smaller than usual and underdeveloped.
6. Infantile Hydrocephalus
In newborn babies, the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the hollow parts within the brain is known as hydrocephalus. This buildup is dangerous as it puts pressure on the brain And the main treatment is surgery to drain the fluid buildup.
7. Tetralogy of Fallot
Tetralogy of Fallot is a heat disease that is a developmental defect, meaning that parts of the heart have not developed fully. It is a combination of four heart conditions, namely ventricular septal defect (VSD), pulmonary stenosis, misplaced aorta and thickened right ventricular wall. These four conditions reduce the heart’s ability to transport oxygenated blood all over the body.
8. Transposition of Great Vessels
In this congenital heart disease, two of the heart’s main vessels, known as the Aorta and the Pulmonary Artery switch places. Immediate treatment involves using prostaglandins and long term treatment involves corrective surgery.
9. Truncus Arteriosus
The aorta and pulmonary artery are the two main vessels leaving the heart. Babies with Truncus Arteriosus have these two blood vessels fused together, resulting in oxygen-poor blood being circulated.
10. Ventricular Septal Defect
Often known as a hole in the heart, a Ventricular Septal Defect or VSD is a hole that occurs in the separating wall (septum) of the two lower chambers of the heart ( the ventricles). This disrupts the heart’s function in general.
11. Coarctation of the Aorta
The aorta is the main vessel bringing oxygenated blood from the heart to the rest of the body. In babies with this condition, their aorta is not fully formed and is narrow, causing significantly less oxygenated blood to leave the heart.
12. Cerebral Palsy
Cerebral palsy is a group of motor impairments that affect a person’s ability to move, maintain balance and maintain posture. The primary cause of this is due to brain development impairments causing muscle weakness and problems.
13. Spina Bifida
Spina bifida is a condition present at birth whereby a baby’s spine and spinal cord do not form properly.There are three types of Spina Bifida, namely Spina Bifida Occulta, Meningocele and Myelomeningocele. The latter two are able to cause minor to severe disabilities in the lower half of the body.
14. Oesophageal Atresia
The oesophagus is the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach and babies with this condition have an oesophagus that does not fully develop or does not develop properly. It results in food not being able to reach the stomach from the mouth.
15. Trachea-oesophageal Fistula
With this developmental defect, part of the baby’s oesphagus is connected to their trachea. The trachea is the tube which connects the mouth to the lungs. Not only does food not be able to reach the stomach, but the baby might have trouble breathing as well.
16. Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate
In babies with cleft lips and or palates, splits form on their upper lips or roof of the mouth, or both. These are structural malformations of the mouth that can be corrected by surgery, especially in cases where it affects their ability to eat and speak.
17. Down’s Syndrome
Down’s Syndrome is a genetic abnormality which causes a child to be born with a series of specific physical features and developmental challenges. Down’s syndrome occurs in about one in 600 births.
18. Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP)
ROP happens when there’s an overgrowth and swelling of blood vessels in a baby’s retina, which is the light sensitive portion of their eyes. Mild ROP will resolve by itself but more severe cases have to be treated in order to avoid permanent blindness.
19. Absence of Two Limbs
Also known as congenital limb deficiencies, this occurs when a baby is born without limbs. With proper care, babies without limbs can grow to be as active, happy and productive as anyone else.
As parents, we always want the best for our children and that includes their health as well. However, medical care for children can be costly and that’s why it’s a good idea to consider covering your newborns under a medical insurance plan of their own, that will grant your financial security in the event of anything unexpected.
