246. Heart Health & Navigating Heart Defects (w/Dr. Lorraine Schratz)

Friends, we know that seeing specialists and hearing your child could potentially have cardiac issues after receiving a prenatal diagnosis can all be overwhelming. We also know that while months of celebrating and advocating for awareness can be helpful, but also adds to those valid overwhelming feelings when you’re new to a diagnosis. While those statistics are true, 50% of babies born with Down syndrome are born with heart defects. There are also incredible advancements in cardiology and amazing physicians like our guest this week Dr. Lorraine Schratz there for your family every step of the way!

Dr. Schratz is a pediatric and fetal cardiologist at Massachusetts General for Children and an instructor at Harvard Medical School. She acknowledges the fear that comes with a diagnosis but emphasizes the advancements in medicine that have led to fewer follow-up surgeries for people with Down syndrome. Dr. Schratz stresses the importance of providing families with both medical facts and emotional support, tailoring information to their needs, and encouraging patients to ask as many questions as they need to. She shares her advice to create healthy habits for our kiddos with and without heart defects, what to expect when receiving a diagnosis, and recommends resources for support. We’re so grateful for conversations like these, and in the words that Dr. Schratz’s patients wanted to send us, “It’ll be ok!”