Daytona Beach Mother and Toddler Share Bond Over Surgery to Repair ‘Hole in the Heart’ After Doctors Identify Son’s Congenital Heart Defect – The…

DAYTONA BEACH, FL Rashad Deuce Gholston Jr. is all boy. The active 2-year-old, born in Tallahassee but who now lives in Daytona Beach, is always on the go. Hes always running and jumping, and doing backflips and cartwheels, said Dwyronyelle Dee Gillard, Deuces mom. He loves football and wants to tackle like his dad.

Deuces father, Rashad Gholston Sr., is a former wide receiver for the Florida State University football team from 2010 to 2014. Dee also is very athletic and was an accomplished basketball player at Atlantic High School in Port Orange.

The energetic mother and son have something else in common both were diagnosed at age 2 with congenital heart disease (CHD) and had open heart surgery to repair atrial septal defects (ASD).A congenital heart defect, ASD is characterized by an opening in the wall (the atrial septum) between the hearts two upper chambers (the right and left atria). Deuce received outpatient pediatric cardiology care at Wolfson Childrens at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare specialty center and life-saving surgery at Wolfson Childrens Hospital of Jacksonville. Dee had the same heart surgery as her son in 1997 at a central Florida childrens hospital.

The most common birth defect in the United States, CHD includes a range of abnormalities of the heart that develop prior to birth.While some heart defects are detected with routine screenings during pregnancy, at the hospital during birth or shortly thereafter, many heart defects may not be identified until later during a medical checkup.

During Deuces routine well care visit at North Florida Pediatrics in Tallahassee, pediatrician Anna Koeppel, MD, detected aheart murmur,indicating a possible heart defect or underlying heart problem. She referred Deuce and Dee to consult with pediatric cardiologist Justin Mac Vining, MD, at Wolfson Childrens at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.

Heart murmurs or atypical heart sounds are fairly common, affecting up to 50% of children, and there are many instances where a murmur may be heard in a child with a strong, healthy heart, said Dr. Vining. In this case, the murmur was atypical and indicated a structural heart problem.

Dr. Vining ordered diagnostic testing for Deuce including an EKG, which measures and interprets the hearts electrical activity, and an echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to get a detailed picture of the heart. There was evidence of right ventricular enlargement on the EKG, so I ordered an echo, which confirmed his diagnosis, said Dr. Vining.

In medical terms, Deuce had an ASD, one of the defects referred to as a hole in the heart.Dee had the same condition as a child.

Dr. Vining showed us the images and we could clearly see the hole in Deuces heart, Dee said.

Its not common, but when a mother has a congenital heart defect, the chances of her child having a congenital heart defect are increased, said Dr. Vining.

Because the opening was very large, Dr. Vining recommended surgical repair and that Deuce and his family consult withMichael Shillingford, MD, chief of Pediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery at Wolfson Childrens Hospital and faculty member of UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh. Wolfson Childrens Hospital is a member of the UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburghs Heart Institute network, providing specialized pediatric health cardiac care for children in North Florida, South Georgia and beyond. This month,U.S. News & World Reportranked UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh number 2 in the country for Pediatric Cardiology and Heart Surgery.

Dr. Shillingford performed open-heart surgery to repair the hole in Deuces heart late last year.

Because of enormous strides in medicine and technology, today nearly all children with atrial septal defects go on to lead healthy, productive lives as adults, said Dr. Shillingford. Thanks to these significant advances, there are now more adults with CHD than children living with the disease.

Children and adults with ASD must see a cardiologist for regular checkups. Deuces first follow-up appointment took place with Dr. Vining at Wolfson Childrens at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare. Fortunately, the familys new home, Daytona Beach, also has a Wolfson Childrens Specialty Center. This allows Deuce to continue to be monitored by pediatric cardiologists with the Wolfson Childrens Hospital and UF Health College of Medicine Jacksonville.

Deuces surgery was the hardest thing we have ever been through, but our experience with Wolfson Childrens was wonderful, Dee said. The doctors and medical team are the best we have ever experienced. They explained everything to me and answered every question. I couldnt have asked for a better group of people to care for my son.

Services at Wolfson Childrens Hospital of Jacksonville are provided primarily by pediatric physician specialists withNemours Childrens Specialty Care, Jacksonville,University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville,UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh (for cardiac surgery services)andEmergency Resources Group.

Wolfson Childrens Hospital relies on the generosity of members of our community. To support Wolfson Childrens Hospital, please visitwolfsonchildrens.com.

About Wolfson Childrens Hospital of JacksonvilleWolfson Childrens Hospitalin Jacksonville, Florida, is a part ofBaptist Health, Northeast Floridas most comprehensive health system serving every stage of life. Wolfson Childrens is the only childrens hospital in Northeast Florida and serves as the pediatric referral center for North Florida, South Georgia and beyond. Staffed 24/7 by pediatric nurses and other healthcare professionals specially trained to work with children, the 216-bed, patient- and family-centered hospital features the latest pediatric medical technology in a welcoming, child-friendly environment. At Wolfson Childrens, nationally recognized pediatric specialists representing nearly every medical and surgical specialty work with pediatricians to provide care for children of all ages with congenital heart conditions, cancer, neurological disorders, diabetes and endocrinology disorders, orthopedic conditions, behavioral health conditions, traumatic injuries, and more. Wolfson Childrens pediatric institutional partners includeNemours Childrens Specialty Care, Jacksonville,UPMC Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh, theUniversity of Florida College of MedicineJacksonvilleandMayo Clinic Florida. A Magnet-designated hospital since 2010, Wolfson Childrens Hospital has been named among theU.S. News & World Report50 Best Childrens Hospitals year after year, and in 2019, was selected as one of only 10 childrens hospitals in the country as a Leapfrog Top Childrens Hospital, a recognition of patient quality and safety. For additional information, please visitwolfsonchildrens.com.

About Wolfson Childrens Specialty Center Daytona Wolfson Childrens Specialty Center Daytona serves children in Volusia and surrounding counties, enhancing access to the specialists and services of Wolfson Childrens Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Opened in July 2013 and staffed by our partners in pediatric health care,Nemours Childrens Specialty Care, Jacksonville, and theUniversity of Florida College of MedicineJacksonville, Wolfson Childrens Specialty Center Daytona provides outpatient pediatric subspecialty care in cardiology, electrophysiology (EP), otolaryngology (ENT), audiology, hematology/oncology and infectious disease. The center also provides physical and occupational therapy, pre-school and child care, audiology, autism-related services, and parenting and support services through Easter Seals Northeast Central Florida. For additional information, please visitwolfsonchildrens.com.

About Wolfson Childrens at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Wolfson Childrens at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare (TMH)serves children in the greater Big Bend area, enhancing access to pediatric specialists and services provided by Wolfson Childrens Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. Opened in January 2016 and staffed by Wolfson Childrens Specialty Services and our partners in pediatric health care,TMH,Tallahassee Primary Care Associates,University of Florida College of MedicineJacksonville,andNemours Childrens Special Care, Jacksonville, Wolfson Childrens at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare provides services in outpatient pediatric cardiology, neurosurgery and urology. In addition, Wolfson Childrens Hospital collaborates with TMH to provide pediatric emergency care at Tallahassee Memorial Emergency Center Northeast. For additional information, please visitwolfsonchildrens.com.

Here is the original post:
Daytona Beach Mother and Toddler Share Bond Over Surgery to Repair 'Hole in the Heart' After Doctors Identify Son's Congenital Heart Defect - The...