BABY WITH PACEMAKER

Hi Just come across this site and was so nice to read and hear from people with pacemakers. My baby was diagnosed with CHB when I was pregnant with her, we were distraught and scared. She had a a pacemaker fitted when she was 5 days old. I forget she has got it as she is such a happy baby and her scars have healed so well, it was all very scary and stressful when she was first born but I wouldn't change her for the world. My worries are what prob;lems lie ahead for her with going going to school and what she can and can't do. I hope we are always doing right by her but with all the technology around am worried it will interfere with her pacemaker. Is there any main things we need to be aware of? any advice and info on growing up with a pacemaker would be appreiciated as I read different things all the time.

6 Comments

she'll be fine!

by Tracey_E - 2008-12-11 03:12:03

There are a few teens here who got pm's as babies, hopefully they will chime in soon. Contact sports is the main thing she'll have to avoid, not really a big deal with girls! Karate and tackle football are the first things that come to mind. Going through the airport will take a little longer because she will set off the metal detector and mri's are not allowed. Other than that, anything goes! CHB is more or less cured with a pm so aside from periodic checkups and battery replacements, she should have a perfectly normal heart rate and active, happy life.

As someone who grew up with CHB (before the days they gave kids pm's), all I can say is treat her like everyone else. Having the heart condition never bothered me because it's all I knew, but I hated being treated differently from the other kids, being overprotected. I just wanted to be treated like everyone else.

so nice to hear from you

by OLIVIAROSE46 - 2008-12-11 04:12:05

Thank you so much for your reply, it did make me cry but its more because its was so nice to hear from someone in the same situation as her, as I do feel very alone with it at times as no one I know has a pacemaker let alone a baby with one, but you make it all seem very positive so thank you for that. We are looking forward to her first christmas with her!

thank you

by OLIVIAROSE46 - 2008-12-11 04:12:22

Thank you so much for your reply, its nice to hear from people who genuinely care and know what your going through. Thanks also for the tips on the site, I'm so pleased I came across it, you seem to have a lot more information and support in the US and like you say are like a one big family. Thanks once again.

Merry Christmas to you

by OLIVIAROSE46 - 2008-12-11 05:12:06

Wow you sound like super mum with all what you do!! I do feel very lucky that she had something that was fixable as like you say there is a lot worse and we saw it at the hospital she was in, which also made us feel lucky in a way, as in the space of a week she was born, had her pacemaker fitted and came home. It was more shock at the beginning as I had never heard of a baby having a pacemaker, and didn't know what to expect and had visions of this poorly, unhappy child who I wouldn't be able to help or comfort, yet am amazed at how normal she is and happy all the time, she is our little miracle and I feel blessed to have her and her pacemaker really. As you would know its daunting having a child anyway and she is my first so with this on top I do get scared on what problems she will incur through life but I suppose pacemaker or no pacemaker all parents think this. Her heart is healthy other than this, and the pacemaker is currently in the stomach area as she was too small to have it by the heart but beleieve this will be moved in time. I will take note on your comment of treating her like any other child which although inside may find hard will try not to let it show to her so she does then feel as normal as possible! We have baby massage tomorrow which she loves and probvably gets the heart pumping that poor pacemaker probably goes ten to the dozen!!

merry christmas

by Tracey_E - 2008-12-11 05:12:45

Enjoy every second of her first Christmas!

If her heart is otherwise healthy (as is often the case with CHB), you have already been through the worst. A pacemaker isn't anyone's choice for a good time, but there are so many things that are incurable or the treatment is much more scary, I've always been grateful to have something so easily fixed.

I was diagnosed in 1970. I'm 42 now, married with two kids and a business. I ski, rollerblade, hike, lift weights. Most people that know me have no idea that a piece of titanium keeps my heart going. I'm just like all the other moms on the field trip and the other women at the gym, and your daughter will be some day also.

For later.......

by Bionic Beat - 2008-12-12 06:12:52

Yes, certainly enjoy your first Christmas with your baby!

She will be able to have a normal childhood (with a few exceptions such as contact sports) and the only thing that I can add to what others have posted, is that she
should ALWAYS have a Medic Alert bracelet (when older) and the school will need to know about her pacemaker.

Luckily, the Medic Alert bracelets for children come in all kinds of pretty/sporty wristbands!

Please treat her like any other child, she needs that more than anything else.


Best Wishes & Merry Christmas!


Bionic Beat

You know you're wired when...

You play MP3 files on your pacer.

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