Tiny Tickers' Think 20 Campaign

Today I'm sharing a new campaign from Tiny Tickers charity which is very close to my heart. 

"Tiny Tickers is a small national charity that aims to improve the detection, care and treatment of congenital heart disease (CHD) in babies. 

Tiny Tickers provides specialist training to health professionals and sonographers so they are better equipped to identify a heart defect during a pregnancy scan. We support parents and families dealing with a diagnosis, and we raise awareness of heart defects in babies so that parents know what signs to look out for.

Knowing the diagnosis at the 20-week scan means that doctors are ready to make sure that your baby has the right treatment and support as soon as they are born.

One in every 125 babies is born with a heart problem- that’s more than 5,000 newborns each year in the UK. The baby heart’s charity, Tiny Tickers, wants to make sure that every baby is given the best possible start by increasing understanding of the real purpose of the 20-week scan. 

Early diagnosis of heart defects gives babies a better chance of survival and long term quality of life. Detection during pregnancy means the right medical experts can be on hand at birth, treatment can begin as soon as possible and parents can start getting the support they need- from the start.

Test your knowledge on what the 20 week scan is really for!

The 20-week scan is one of the most in-depth health checks a baby will have during pregnancy. And it’s the very best opportunity to spot heart defects before birth. If you are pregnant, you can test just how much you know about it through an online quiz developed by Tiny Tickers.

At the end of the quiz you can also request an information pack which will give mums to be a check list on what questions to ask the sonographer at your 20-week scan giving you the confidence to protect your tiny ticker.

Tiny Tickers are aiming to reach all pregnant women with practical information which could save their baby’s life.

Please take a moment to take part in the Think 20. Think HEART quiz and then share it on your Facebook or Twitter. Together we can build vital awareness and reach the 1,000 babies sent home every year from UK hospitals with a heart condition that nobody knows about".

Tiny Tickers raising awareness of early heart defects detection

If you remember last year I was sharing Tiny Tickers posts and as the cause is close to my heart I'm sharing it with you again this year.

"National Heart Month is in February and we at Tiny Tickers, the baby hearts charity, are asking you to support Heart Week between 7th - 14th February 2016. Heart Week is a chance to join together 

to help babies born with serious heart conditions by raising vital funds and awareness.
             
Tiny Tickers is a small national charity that aims to improve the detection, care and treatment of congenital heart disease (CHD) in babies. Tiny Tickers provides specialist training to health professionals and sonographers so they are better equipped to identify a heart defect during a pregnancy scan. We support parents and families dealing with a diagnosis, and we raise awareness
of heart defects in babies so that parents know what signs to look out for.

When heart problems are detected during pregnancy, babies get treatment from the first possible moment- and early detection is shown to greatly improve their chance of survival and long-term quality of life, and lowers the risk of side-effects of heart failure such as brain damage.

Heart Week will help raise vital funds and awareness for the 1,000 babies who are sent home from hospitals every year with an undetected heart condition. 

Martha’s condition was thankfully picked up during pregnancy. Her story perfectly explains how lifesaving early detection can be. Meet Martha here. 

                          
If you are worried your baby is one of these 1,000, these are the 5 signs that will help you protect your baby.
Think HEART points to a range of symptoms that, although non-specific, may be signs of an underlying heart defect - reducing oxygenated blood flow and needing urgent attention:

• Heart rate: too fast or slow? (normally 100 to 160 beats per minute)
• Energy & Feeding: sleepy, quiet, floppy, too tired to feed or falling asleep during feeds?
• Appearance: a pale, waxy, dusky, blue, purple, mottled or grey colour may mean that not enough oxygenated, red blood is getting to the body (normal oxygen saturations are 95-100%)
• Respiration: breathing too fast or slow? (normally 40-60 breaths per minute)
• Temperature: cold to touch - particularly hands and feet?

To get your free Heart Week pack, including your Love Hearts 'Guess the Number of Sweets' game, REGISTER HERE.

Tiny Tickers- let's raise awareness of early heart defects detection

Couple of weeks a go I was contacted by the Tiny Tickers charity representative who asked me to help spread the word about them.

As a person who had mitral valve prolapse I understand how important it is to be aware and treat the illness at the right time. 

"The condition I had is deemed to be the most common heart valve abnormality having said that as many as 1 in every 125 babies in the UK has a congenital heart defect. Only one third of major heart defects are spotted during pregnancy, and another third are picked up in standard newborn hospital tests.

Terrifyingly, that means around 1,000 newborns are sent home from hospital every year in the UK with no one realising they are suffering a life-threatening condition.

Tiny Tickers is a small national charity that aims to improve the detection, care and treatment of congenital heart disease (CHD) in babies. 

Tiny Tickers provides specialist training to health professionals and sonographers so they are better equipped to identify a heart defect during a pregnancy scan. We support parents and families dealing with a diagnosis, and we raise awareness of heart defects in babies so that parents know what signs to look out for.

When CHD is detected during pregnancy, babies get treatment from the first possible moment – and early detection is shown to greatly improve their chance of survival and long-term quality of life, and lowers the risk of side-effects of heart failure such as brain damage.

Here is how you can help

To get your free Big Tick info card, order here!

Read about Robbie's story here".