When does the ductus arteriosus close in children?

Every move of the children concerns the parents, who are afraid that their children cannot grow up healthily. Every parent has the same wish, which is to hope that their children can be healthy and happy. However, there are some diseases that we are powerless to treat and can only actively treat. Many parents are concerned about when the ductus arteriosus in children will close.

1. The symptoms of patent ductus arteriosus depend on the thickness of the ductus, the amount of shunt flow, the level of pulmonary vascular resistance, the patient's age, and the associated cardiac malformations. Although the ductus of full-term infants is enlarged, symptoms will not appear until 6-8 weeks after birth, when the pulmonary vascular resistance decreases. Because premature infants have less smooth muscle in their pulmonary arterioles, vascular resistance decreases earlier, so they may have symptoms in the first week, often with shortness of breath, tachycardia, and acute breathing difficulties. It is more obvious during breastfeeding, and the baby is more susceptible to colds, upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, etc. After that, the disease is compensated in childhood and there are few subjective symptoms, except for poor development and small stature.

2. Some children tend to feel tired and have palpitations only after exertion. Patients with a patent ductus of medium size are generally asymptomatic until they are in their 20s and develop symptoms of cardiac decompensation such as shortness of breath and palpitations after strenuous activity. Although pulmonary hypertension may occur in children under 2 years old, obvious symptoms of pulmonary hypertension usually occur at an older age, such as dizziness, shortness of breath, and hemoptysis. Cyanosis after activity (mostly obvious in the lower body). If complicated by subacute endocarditis, there will be systemic symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite, sweating, etc. Endocarditis rarely occurs in childhood but is more common in adolescence.

Failure of the ductus arteriosus to close in children will affect their healthy growth. Some things will close slowly, but some cannot close. Knowing when the ductus arteriosus will close in children can help children better understand their condition. Children should always pay attention to their health and hope that they can grow up healthily.