Kiah Grace Boutte was born with a CHD...Pulmonary Atresia...

It is estimated that 40,000 babies with Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) are born in the United States each year. Approximately 1 million American children and adults with Congenital Heart Defects and Childhood Onset Heart Disease are alive today.*

  CHD is the most frequently occurring birth defect, and is the leading cause of birth-defect related deaths. 

  Although some babies will be diagnosed at birth, sometimes the diagnosis is not made until days, weeks, months, or even years after.  In some cases, CHD's are not detected until adolescence or adulthood.

 SOme CHD's may not require treatment other than periodic visits to a Pediatric Cardiologist. Others can be treated with medications or repaired with surgery and/or procedures. Complex defects may require several surgeries and are never really "cured".

 Many cases of sudden cardiac death in young athletes are caused by undiagnosed CHD's and Childhood Onset Heart Disease.