What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Congenital Heart Defects?
Many congenital heart defects have few or no signs or symptoms. A doctor may not even detect signs of a heart defect during a physical exam. Some heart defects do have signs and symptoms. They depend on the number, type, and severity of the defects. Severe defects can cause signs and symptoms, usually in newborns. These signs and symptoms may include: • Rapid breathing • Cyanosis (a bluish tint to the skin, lips, and fingernails) • Fatigue (tiredness) • Poor blood circulation Congenital heart defects don’t cause chest pain or other painful symptoms. Heart defects can cause abnormal blood flow through the heart that will make a certain sound called a heart murmur. Your doctor can hear a heart murmur with a stethoscope. However, not all murmurs are signs of congenital heart defects. Many healthy children have heart murmurs. Normal growth and development depend on a normal workload for the heart and normal flow of oxygen-rich blood to all parts of the body. Babies who have congenital hear
