171 Ashley Ave.
Charleston, SC 29425
843-792-1414
800-424-MUSC
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PCICU Family Information: Introduction
Welcome to the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Children's Hospital. We understand that having a child with a
congenital heart defect is an emotional and stressful experience.
This information is designed to help answer some of your questions and introduce you to some of the resources available
during your stay at MUSC. We hope this will help to decrease some of the stress you are feeling.
Upon first hearing of a child's heart defect, many parents feel they must have done something before or during the pregnancy
to cause the defect. Let us assure you this is not the case. We are not sure exactly what causes the heart to form
incorrectly. Research continues in an effort to determine what causes heart defects. There is still much we do not know.
What we do know is that it was not anything the parents did or failed to do during the pregnancy. Medical science can do
little to predict or prevent these defects.
Your entire family will go through a great deal of stress during your child's hospital course. Be kind to yourself. Allow
friends and family to assist with day-to-day responsibilities. Take time for yourself. Take a break from the bedside.
Go for a walk. Take a nap. Eat properly. Your children and family can feel your stress. Allow time to spend with your
spouse, significant other and other children to help relieve some of this stress.
We hope this information helps you understand your child's hospital course. Any suggestions for information that should be
included are welcome. For comments or questions, please e-mail famcalls@musc.edu.
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