What to do if you think your child has a heart problem.
This is not a replacement for a doctor. It's the roadmap we wish we had — so you know what questions to ask, and what happens next.
What is congenital heart disease?
Congenital heart disease (CHD) means a baby is born with a heart that didn't form quite the way it should — often a hole between two chambers, a narrowed valve, or blood vessels connected in an unusual pattern. It's one of the most common birth defects, and in Bangladesh, thousands of babies are born with some form of it every year.
Many CHDs are mild and need nothing more than regular check-ups. Some close on their own as a child grows. But some — like the defect Rafiya and Shehzin were both born with — are severe enough that the child needs surgery to survive and grow normally. The single most important fact for any parent to hold onto is this: most congenital heart defects, even severe ones, are treatable if they're found and managed in time.
Signs that deserve a doctor's visit
No single sign confirms CHD on its own — but if you notice any of these in a baby or young child, ask specifically for a heart check-up and an echocardiogram, not just a general examination.
Bluish lips, tongue, or nails
Especially during crying, feeding, or cold weather — a sign the blood isn't carrying enough oxygen.
Fast or heavy breathing
Breathing that looks like effort even while resting, or breathlessness that interrupts feeding.
Poor weight gain
A baby who feeds slowly, tires quickly while feeding, and isn't gaining weight at a normal pace.
Sweating during feeding
Heavy sweating around the head while feeding is a classic early sign parents often mistake for heat.
Frequent chest infections
Repeated pneumonia or lower respiratory infections in the first year of life.
Fatigue or fainting
An older child who tires far faster than playmates, or becomes lightheaded during activity.
The path from suspicion to diagnosis
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See a pediatrician first
Describe the specific signs you've noticed. Ask directly whether a heart problem should be ruled out — this gets you referred faster than a general complaint.
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Get an echocardiogram
This ultrasound of the heart is the key test that shows the defect clearly. In Bangladesh, this is available at the National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute (Dhaka), Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, most Shishu (children's) hospitals, and other cardiac centres in major districts.
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Meet a paediatric cardiologist
The echo report goes to a cardiologist who specialises in children's hearts. They will confirm the exact defect, its severity, and whether it needs monitoring, medication, or surgery — and how urgently.
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Ask whether treatment abroad is needed
Many defects are operated on successfully within Bangladesh. Complex or urgent cases are sometimes referred abroad — commonly to hospital networks in India such as Narayana Health, Fortis, Apollo, or CMC Vellore, which have dedicated paediatric cardiac surgery programmes and see patients from Bangladesh regularly.
If a hospital in India is recommended: how the process works
This is the exact sequence a family typically goes through, based on our own experience and the families we've supported.
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Send the medical file for evaluation
The hospital's international patient department (most large Indian hospital groups have one) reviews the echo report, discharge summaries, and any other records by email before you travel.
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Receive an appointment and an invitation letter
If the hospital accepts the case, they issue a formal letter addressed to the Indian High Commission, giving the patient's appointment date and naming up to two attendants (usually both parents).
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Apply for a medical visa
The patient applies for a Medical Visa and each attendant applies for a Medical Attendant Visa, submitting passports, the hospital's invitation letter, and medical documents at the Indian High Commission or one of its Assistant High Commissions (Dhaka, Chittagong, Rajshahi, Sylhet, or Khulna).
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Plan the budget
Costs vary widely by defect and hospital, and are usually confirmed only after the hospital's own evaluation — but a family should expect to budget for surgery, 2–3 weeks of stay for recovery, accommodation for attendants, and travel for three people. This is almost always the single biggest barrier for daily-wage families, and it's the part Make My Hope focuses on.
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Travel, admit, and recover
Most paediatric cardiac surgery cases stay in-country for 15–20 days depending on recovery, with follow-up appointments before discharge home.
Need this kind of help right now?
If your child has been diagnosed with CHD and your family needs guidance or support, reach out directly — we respond to every message.
Contact Make My Hope