Signs and Symptoms of a Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD):

Small holes in the ventricular septum usually produce no symptoms but are often recognized by the child's health care provider when a loud heart murmur along the left side of the lower breast bone or sternum is heard. Large holes typically produce symptoms 1-6 months after an infant’s birth. The left ventricle begins to fail, producing the following symptoms:

• Fast breathing

• Sweating

• Pallor

• Very fast heartbeats

• Decreased feeding

• Poor weight gain

When a ventricular septal defect is not detected early in life, it can cause more severe problems and more severe symptoms as time goes on. The biggest concern is development of high pressure in the lungs (pulmonary hypertension). If the VSD is not surgically closed, irreversible pulmonary hypertension can develop, and the child is no longer operable and has a poor prognosis. The following are typical symptoms of pulmonary hypertension:

• Fainting

• Shortness of breath

• Chest pain

• Bluish discoloration of the skin (cyanosis)

The skin turns faintly bluish when the tissues are not receiving quite enough oxygen. This condition is often termed "hypoxemia" or "hypoxia."