Symptoms
The combination of these two defects early in life can almost balance each other out such that the child may be rather blue, but not too breathless. There can, of course, be too much blueness or too much breathlessness, depending on the severity of the different conditions.Treatment
This depends on the severity of the AVSD or the Fallots. Usually, the children are quite blue and require a BT shunt to increase the amount of blue going to the lungs. Then the definitive operation is carried out later, perhaps at 1-2 years of age, so that the holes can be closed, the valves repaired and the way out to the lung artery widened.Follow up Advice
As for any cardiac disease, it is important to keep an eye on the growth of the baby, so that it puts on weight normally. Usually the normal immunisations can be given, and it is important to remember that the teeth must be looked after. If there are any operations or any dental extractions, then antibiotics should be given beforehand(published with permission in writing from:http://www.dhg.org.uk)
