What Educators Should Know

A congenital heart defect is a heart problem that a baby is born with. Heart defects can be mild or severe. Some are detected at birth, while others are found later. Some kids with congenital heart defects need one or more surgeries.

By understanding their challenges and supporting their needs, educators can help students with a heart defect do their best in school.

Challenges for Students With Congenital Heart Defects

Many kids and teens with congenital heart defects don't need any special care at school. But a student who has a complicated heart defect or recently had surgery might:

• have problems such as fast breathing or shortness of breath
• have a bluish coloring of the skin
• faint
• tire easily or need to avoid activities that take a lot of effort
• need to carry a water bottle to stay hydrated or stay indoors on hot days
• need extra time to go to and from classes
• need to go the bathroom a lot if they're taking a diuretic (medicine that gets rid of fluid from the body)
• need to use supplemental oxygen
• need to go to the school nurse for medicines
• miss class time to see cardiologists (heart specialists) or other care providers
• have developmental delays or learning problems

What Educators Can Do

• Talk to your student and their family about whether it’s OK for other students to know the heart defect. Some students may want privacy and don't want to talk about having a heart defect. Others may feel more open about it and may even want to teach their classmates about the condition.
• Understand any restrictions your student has.
• Be sure the school nurse and anyone who works with your student know what to do if any medical issues happen at school, such as shortness of breath or fainting.
• Get cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training (most states require teachers to be trained in CPR).
• If your school has an automated external defibrillator (AED), know where it is and how to use it.
• Support your student’s learning with a tutor, if needed.
• Students with a heart defect may miss class time or be absent due to doctor visits and hospital stays. To help your student succeed in school, you can:
  • Give them extra time to finish schoolwork.
  • Let them do fewer assignments.
  • Let them make up missed assignments and tests.
  • Give take-home or online tests, if needed.
• Make sure your student with a congenital heart defect knows they can:
  • leave the classroom as needed, without asking, to go to the restroom or to the nurse
  • carry a water bottle
  • get help with carrying things and use the elevator while moving between classes
• Help build your student’s confidence by recognizing and appreciating their strengths — in reading, math, drama, art, or whatever they enjoy. 
• Provide support. If you think it might help, talk to your student and their family about counseling options in school or in the community. Some school districts don’t require parents’ permission for a student to see a counselor at school while others do. Check your local school district’s policies.