CHILDREN'S HEART FEDERATION'S THINK HEART CAMPAIGN

That this House notes that over 5,000 children are born each year with congenital heart disease (CHD) and a further 500 to 1,000 develop heart defects after they are born; further notes that CHD can cause great distress to parents and families and, therefore, welcomes the Children's Heart Federation's Think HEART campaign based upon the work of Dr Joan LaRovere, which seeks to educate parents and professionals about the warning signs of CHD, which include a child failing to thrive as a result of a heart rate which is too fast or too slow, a child being sleepy, quiet or too tired to eat, a child being blue, dusky or grey coloured, breathing too fast or too slow or if they are cold to touch; and calls on the Government to back the Think HEART campaign and give it whatever help it can to spread this important message which will raise awareness and help to save children's lives through earlier diagnosis of CHD.