Dr.Clarissa Mordol

Congenital heart disease in newborns can present with a range of symptoms that reflect how effectively the heart is delivering oxygen to the body. Common signs include cyanosis, rapid breathing, feeding difficulties, and poor weight gain. Some symptoms may not appear immediately after birth and can develop as the baby’s circulation changes. Early recognition and medical assessment are essential for ensuring appropriate treatment and care.

31 May is World No Tobacco Day, highlighting the ongoing impact of tobacco use on public health. Many people assume quitting smoking is simply a matter of determination. In reality, the situation is often more complex. Smoking can become linked to: Daily routines and habits Stress management Social environments Emotional triggers This is one reason why quitting can be difficult, even when people understand the health risks. The good news is that support, awareness, and small changes can all play a role in helping people move towards healthier choices. At My Patient Advice , we help people better understand healthcare information and make informed decisions about their wellbeing.

UK schools are required to support children with medical conditions such as congenital heart disease . This support is guided by legislation including the Children and Families Act 2014. An Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP) outlines the child’s medical needs, daily adjustments, and emergency procedures. Schools may also provide flexibility in physical activity, attendance, and classroom support. These measures ensure children remain safe while fully participating in education.

Flexibility can make therapy feel more accessible. When support can fit around work, family, study or caring responsibilities, therapy may feel less like another pressure and more like a realistic part of everyday life. Flexible Sessions from a Private Space Online therapy can take place through phone or video, allowing people to connect with a qualified professional from somewhere familiar and private. This can be helpful when travel, time or routine changes make in-person sessions difficult to arrange consistently. ✔️ Less travel pressure ✔️ More manageable scheduling ✔️ Support from a familiar setting Support for Different Circumstances Therapy can support adults, children and couples, depending on individual needs. Support may also include couples therapy, ADHD coaching, behavioural support, parent training or family therapy. The best online therapy should feel thoughtful, secure and adapted to real circumstances. ✔️ Evidence-based therapy approaches ✔️ Couples therapy ✔️ P...

Children with congenital heart disease may show gradual changes if their condition progresses. Common signs include faster breathing, increased tiredness, and changes in skin colour. Infants may struggle with feeding or show poor weight gain. Older children may find it harder to keep up with normal activity. Recognising these signs early allows for timely medical support and better outcomes.

For many people exploring medical cannabis treatment , one of the most important questions is how support may fit into everyday life. Beyond symptom management, people often want to understand how treatment may influence focus, productivity, energy levels, and the ability to properly rest at the end of the day. As patient discussions continue to evolve, there is growing interest in why different treatment experiences may feel more suitable for certain situations than others. Why Daily Functioning Matters So Much Most people are not simply looking for support. They are looking for support that works alongside real-life responsibilities. This may include: Maintaining concentration at work Managing household responsibilities Staying engaged with family life Supporting healthy sleep patterns ✔️ Balancing daily activity and wellbeing ✔️ Understanding how support fits personal routine Because of this, functionality often becomes just as important as symptom management itself. Why Experienc...

Supportive therapy often begins with small but important details. The setting, the therapist match, the pace of conversation and the feeling of confidentiality can all shape how comfortable therapy feels. A Private Space Can Make Support Feel Easier Online therapy can allow sessions to take place from a familiar environment. This can make support feel more accessible for people balancing work, family, study or caring responsibilities. The aim is not to make therapy feel casual. It is to make professional support feel easier to reach. ✔️ Secure and confidential sessions ✔️ Flexible phone and video support ✔️ Accessible mental health support Support Should Feel Personal Therapy can support different needs, from emotional wellbeing and relationships to ADHD coaching, behavioural support, parent training or family therapy. The best online therapy should feel tailored, thoughtful and grounded in professional care. ✔️ Therapy for adults, children and couples ✔️ Couples therapy ✔️ Par...

As conversations around medical cannabis treatment continue to grow, more people are beginning to notice that treatment experiences can feel very different from one person to another. Some individuals describe support as calming and physically settling, while others report feeling mentally alert, emotionally heightened, or overstimulated during certain stages of adjustment. For many patients, this raises an important question: why can similar approaches feel so different between individuals? Why Personal Response Plays Such a Big Role One of the most important things people are beginning to recognise is that treatment experiences are highly personal. What feels manageable and balanced for one person may feel mentally intense for another. Factors such as: Stress levels Sleep quality Emotional wellbeing Daily workload Personal sensitivity can all influence how cannabis-based medicines are experienced over time. ✔️ Understanding how support fits everyday routine ✔️ Exploring how emoti...

Traditional healthcare training has long focused on delivering knowledge through structured programmes and standardised teaching methods. While those systems remain valuable, healthcare itself has changed dramatically. Modern clinicians now work within environments that require far more than theoretical understanding. Where Traditional Learning Begins to Struggle Many medical education models still rely heavily on lecture-based delivery and fixed progression structures. The challenge is that modern healthcare environments rarely feel structured or predictable. What Modern Clinicians Actually Experience ✔️ Fast-paced clinical decision-making ✔️ Multidisciplinary teamwork ✔️ Constant adaptation to changing situations ✔️ Pressure-driven patient care environments These realities require practical capability as much as academic understanding. Why Educational Approach Matters When clinicians learn through more immersive and flexible educational models, they develop confidence and practi...

  Preparing for an Adult Congenital Heart Disease appointment helps you make the most of your time with your specialist team. Start by listing questions about your current heart function and recent test results. It is also important to discuss lifestyle factors such as exercise, work, and travel. You may want to ask about future risks, potential treatments, and medication side effects. Being organised ensures you leave the appointment with clear information and confidence in your care plan.

There is no single NHS support group system for congenital heart disease. Instead, support is provided through partnerships between NHS cardiac centres and charities. Specialist nurses guide patients and families towards trusted organisations and local support groups. These groups offer emotional support, practical advice, and shared experiences. Together, they form an essential part of long-term care for people living with heart conditions.

Transposition of the Great Arteries (TGA) is a congenital heart defect where the aorta and pulmonary artery are connected to the wrong sides of the heart. This causes oxygen-poor blood to circulate around the body instead of oxygen-rich blood. Newborns with TGA often show signs such as a blue tint to the skin and rapid breathing. Immediate medical care is required to stabilise the baby before surgery. The arterial switch operation corrects the circulation and offers excellent long-term outcomes.

  Newborn pulse oximetry screening is a simple test used to measure oxygen levels in a baby’s blood shortly after birth. It plays an essential role in identifying critical congenital heart disease before symptoms develop. The test is performed using a small sensor placed on the baby’s hand or foot. It is quick, painless, and requires no needles. If oxygen levels are lower than expected, further investigations are carried out to confirm the cause. Early detection allows healthcare teams to provide timely treatment, improving outcomes and reducing risk.

The Fontan procedure is a surgical treatment for children born with single ventricle heart defects. Instead of restoring a normal heart structure, the surgery reroutes blood flow so that oxygen-poor blood travels directly to the lungs. This reduces the workload on the single functioning ventricle. The procedure is usually performed between the ages of two and four as the final stage of a planned surgical pathway. While it significantly improves oxygen levels and quality of life, it creates a different type of circulation that must be monitored carefully over time. With ongoing care, many patients go on to live active lives.

Tetralogy of Fallot is a complex congenital heart condition made up of four structural defects that affect blood flow and oxygen delivery. These defects include a hole in the heart, narrowing of the valve to the lungs, displacement of the main artery, and thickening of the heart muscle. Children may present with a blue or grey skin tone, breathlessness, or feeding difficulties. Some experience sudden drops in oxygen levels. Treatment usually involves surgery in infancy to correct the defects and improve circulation. With modern medical care, most children achieve excellent outcomes, though lifelong monitoring is required.

  Pulmonary stenosis is a condition where the pulmonary valve is narrowed, restricting blood flow from the heart to the lungs. This forces the right ventricle to work harder, which can lead to thickening of the heart muscle over time. The severity varies, with some people experiencing no symptoms while others develop breathlessness or fatigue. Diagnosis is usually made through echocardiography, which measures how severe the narrowing is. Treatment depends on the degree of stenosis. Many cases require only monitoring, while others are treated with balloon valvuloplasty. With early diagnosis and proper care, the long-term outlook is very positive.

Healthcare has changed dramatically over the last decade. Clinicians now work within systems shaped by global collaboration, shared clinical challenges and rapidly evolving standards of care. Yet many traditional training programmes still operate within localised structures. That creates limitations. The Problem with Local-Only Training Models Traditional medical education programmes are often tied to specific institutions, regions or fixed delivery methods. While these models remain important, they do not always reflect how modern healthcare professionals learn and work today. What Modern Clinicians Need ✔️ Flexible access to learning ✔️ Exposure to wider clinical perspectives ✔️ Scalable professional development ✔️ Collaboration across healthcare systems Healthcare professionals increasingly need education that adapts to changing clinical realities rather than remaining restricted by geography. Why Global Platforms Are Becoming Essential Digital learning, simulation and blended e...

Many people think about therapy long before they book a session. The challenge is often not whether support feels useful, but whether it can fit around work, parenting, school, relationships and everyday responsibilities. Why Flexibility Matters Traditional appointments can be difficult to manage when routines change from week to week. Online therapy can offer a more accessible way to begin, with sessions available by phone or video from a private space. This can reduce some of the practical barriers that make support harder to reach. ✔️ Less travel pressure ✔️ More flexible scheduling ✔️ Support from a familiar setting What Support Can Include Therapy can support adults, children and couples, alongside secure and confidential online care. For different needs, support may include evidence-based therapy approaches, couples therapy, ADHD coaching, behavioural support, parent training or family therapy. ✔️ Evidence-based therapy approaches ✔️ Couples therapy ✔️ Parent training and ...

  Patent Ductus Arteriosus is a common congenital heart condition where a blood vessel connecting the aorta and pulmonary artery remains open after birth. This vessel plays an important role before birth but should close once the baby begins breathing independently. If it stays open, blood flows back into the lungs, increasing pressure and workload on the heart. Symptoms depend on the size of the opening. Small PDAs may be harmless, while larger ones can cause breathing difficulties, feeding problems, and poor weight gain. Treatment options include monitoring, medication in premature infants, and catheter-based procedures to close the vessel. With early diagnosis and appropriate care, long-term outcomes are excellent.