children s health issues
Atrioventricular Septal Defects
Symptoms of Atrioventricular Septal Defects
Complete atrioventricular septal defect often causes a large Shunting of blood flow , which means some blood that has already picked up oxygen from the lungs goes through the hole and back to the lungs. These infants may develop heart failure (see figure Children with transitional AV septal defects may have no symptoms if the ventricular defect is small. Children with larger defects may have signs of heart failure. Partial AV septal defects do not usually cause symptoms during childhood unless valve leakage (regurgitation) is severe. However, symptoms (eg, exercise intolerance, fatigue, palpitations) may develop during adolescence or early adulthood. Infants with moderate or severe valve regurgitation often have signs of heart failure. 