The adolescent with simple or corrected congenital heart disease

An ever-increasing number of congenital heart disease patients are surviving into and beyond adolescence. Despite the encouraging cardiac results, with the vast majority asymptomatic and requiring no medication and having few, if any, limitations, there are many challenges for this patient population. They are likely to find obstacles to attaining education, social development, health and life insurance, and employment. Most of these obstacles are attributable to the stresses upon children with congenital heart disease and their families, and the prejudices of a society that knows little about congenital heart disease. Practitioners caring for these young people must be familiar with these issues and knowledgeable about the facts of individual cases, so that they may anticipate needs and offer support to their patients in their progress toward adulthood.