As a subject matter expert in pediatric health, I can provide you with an accurate explanation of "blue baby syndrome." This term historically referred to a condition known as congenital cyanosis, where infants would appear blue due to low oxygen levels in their blood. However, the term is most commonly associated with a specific type of congenital heart disease called Tetralogy of Fallot, which includes four defects that cause a decrease in the amount of oxygenated blood reaching the body.
The four defects in Tetralogy of Fallot are:
1. Ventricular septal defect (VSD) - a hole between the two ventricles of the heart.
2. Pulmonary stenosis - narrowing of the pulmonary valve and the outflow tract of the right ventricle.
3. Right ventricular hypertrophy - thickening of the right ventricle's walls.
4. An abnormal positioning of the aorta - the aorta is shifted to the right and receives blood from both ventricles.
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