What symptom is often associated with arterial septal defects in infants?

While blue skin discoloration is a symptom often associated with certain cardiac defects, including those that lead to right-to-left shunting, it's important to consider the specific nature of arterial septal defects (ASDs).

In infants with arterial septal defects, the most notable clinical sign is typically related to heart function rather than the cyanosis (or blue skin discoloration) that can occur with other types of congenital heart defects characterized by right-to-left shunts, such as tetralogy of Fallot. In fact, ASDs often lead to left-to-right shunting of blood, resulting in increased blood flow to the lungs and potentially causing symptoms such as shortness of breath or difficulty feeding, rather than cyanosis.

On the other hand, an enlarged heart, due to increased workload on the heart from the extra blood flow through the defect, is a common physical finding in infants with ASDs. This condition may not be directly indicated as "blue skin discoloration" but rather presents more through physical examination and changes in heart sounds.

Infants with ASDs primarily exhibit symptoms related to heart failure or pulmonary overcirculation rather than the blue skin discoloration associated with other conditions. Thus, while blue skin may suggest significant systemic involvement and altered blood oxygen