It is important to be fully informed about a heart condition and make informed and wise lifestyle choices on the basis of this information. For instance, if a condition is complex and care needs are high, a young adult may decide not to leave home but take advantage of the security of living with their parents. Major life decisions — education, career, living arrangements — should be made keeping in mind how the heart condition will influence overall health and well-being. Being "realistically optimistic" is the key.
Alcohol
Risks associated with alcohol use
There is an added risk for teenagers when it comes to alcohol, since this is the age when experimentation is common. Some teenagers may be prone to binge drinking at parties just for the fun of it, while others do it to fit in or to forget about their condition. Depending on the type of CHD a teenager has, drinking alcohol may worsen the condition or cause symptoms, like palpitations. Alcohol can also interact with medications. It is best to check with the doctor to know how to proceed. At the very least, moderation is key. Teenagers really need to be encouraged to take charge of their health and be aware of the potential dangers associated with alcohol consumption. They would also benefit from having strategies in hand to cope with peer pressure and to decide whether to hang out with people who drink excessively.
Talking openly and non-judgementally to your child about their choices is key to helping them make sound decisions. Also, a doctor or counsellor specializing in adolescent medicine with whom your teenager could talk with privately might also be a good influence. If you're concerned your teenager is engaging in risky behaviour, seek out the support of a substance abuse counsellor.
Smoking
Risks associated with smoking
No doctor will endorse cigarette smoking, because of the well-known associated health risks. Smoking results in circulation problems and possibly blood vessel damage. The other consideration is that, depending on the drugs your child is taking, smoking can have an effect on the drug levels in your child's body.
Teenagers are an at-risk population because they often experiment with smoking. Teenagers need to be encouraged to take charge of their health and be aware of the potential dangers associated with smoking. They would also benefit from having strategies in hand to cope with peer pressure.
Talking openly and non-judgementally to your child about their choices is key to helping them to make sound choices. Also, a doctor or counsellor specializing in adolescent medicine with whom your teenager could talk with privately might also be a good influence.
Drug Use
Over-the-counter drugs
Generally, things like headache, fever, allergy medications, and cold remedies are safe, though you should always check with your child's cardiologist to make sure that there is no risk given their condition or other medications.
Herbal remedies
The safety of herbal remedies is not as clear, simply because they may contain ingredients in unclear doses that could interact with a condition or conventional heart drug. Talk to your child's cardiologist about what remedies are safe to use.
Risks associated with illegal or "street drug” use
Some teenagers like to experiment, or worse, abuse drugs, and in the process may not follow their heart medication regimen for fear of interactions or simply because of impaired judgement. Other teenagers may use drugs to help them cope with feelings of depression or anxiety, or as a way to ease life's pressures.
As a parent, be aware that your child may engage in drug-taking. Do not assume that because your child has a chronic condition, that they will not partake or that they will always make the right choices. Rates of street drug use among teenager patients with CHD were comparable with their healthy peers. It is important that teenagers be aware of how street drugs can potentially affect their condition, either by directly affecting the heart or by interacting with heart drugs they may be taking. They can increase side effects, introduce new ones, or increase or decrease the effect of heart drugs. Cocaine, for instance, can cause heart attacks, irregular heart rhythms, high blood pressure, and inflammation of the heart —in people without a heart condition. Smoking pot can have effects similar to smoking cigarettes.
Teenagers really need to be encouraged to take charge of their health and be aware of the dangers associated with doing drugs. They would also benefit from having strategies in hand to cope with peer pressure (such as using humour as a means of deflecting attention — "No thanks. I'm already on more drugs than anyone here!"), or being aware of the choices they can make. This can include making new friends who do not do drugs, or simply knowing when to walk away from an uncomfortable situation.
Talking openly and non-judgementally to your child about these concerns is key to helping them make sound choices. Also, a doctor or counsellor specializing in adolescent medicine with whom your teenager could talk with privately might also be a good influence.
If you're concerned your teenager is engaging in risky behaviour, seek out the support of a substance abuse counsellor.
Piercings and Tattoos
Risks associated with body piercings and tattoos
People with heart conditions are always at risk of bacterial endocarditis, which is why they must take antibiotics if they are undergoing surgery or having work done on their teeth. Any procedures that draw blood — that includes things like piercings and tattoos — enable bacteria to get into the system. There have been reports of people with CHD getting endocarditis after navel piercings. If your teenager is considering getting a piercing or a tattoo, they must be made aware of the potential risks (as well as the other infection risks that are not connected to having a heart condition).