Health Spotlight | Cardiac rehab for kids
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Whether you had a heart attack, bypass surgery, stents or have any type of heart condition, often cardiac rehab will be prescribed to help strengthen your heart. Until now, it was only for adults. But what about the 40,000 babies born with heart problems? Now, a new type of cardiac rehab is being used for the youngest heart patients.
To say Ethan Delcid enjoys life is an understatement, but it’s been a long journey for this little guy.
His mom, Yannin Delcid says, “It was hard to see him be born ‘cause he was immediately taken away.”
Blood was not flowing properly from his heart, Ethan had surgery at 3 days old, then again at 3 months old. At 4 months old, Ethan needed a heart transplant.
“I saw him very close to death, so it was hard to hold my faith up,” Yannin said.
Dr. Den Ziebell, MD, pediatric cardiologist at the University of Utah and Primary Children’s Hospital explained, “He was getting physically weaker, and then there were some like mental health side effects of that.”
That’s when a team at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital turned to pediatric cardiac rehab. Just like the rehab for adults who have heart problems, only this cardiac fitness center turns grueling workouts into fun.
“We were trying to keep it fun and interactive, make it seem like it’s play for him,” Ziebell said.
While living in the hospital for more than a year — exercise physiologists helped to get Ethan’s heart pumping and stronger for surgery. And after 14 months — Ethan was ready when the call came.
“You would never know that he has heart transplant,” Ziebell said.
Ethan is now ready to take on his next big challenge — kindergarten.
“I’m a warrior!” exclaims Ethan.
The pediatric cardiac fitness center at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital is one of the first in the country, but they are beginning to pop up all over. Every child who is hospitalized with heart failure gets enrolled into the program, from age three to 18 years old.
This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. Health Spotlight is presented by Community Health Network.