AVM is caused by abnormal blood vessel development. Some AVMs are caused by genetic mutations and can be hereditary. Most AVMs are present at birth (congenital), but less than half are diagnosed at birth. It may take years to be diagnosed.

The complications and symptoms of AVM can vary from child to child, but there are some common symptoms and complications, including:

• Swelling and pain
• Crusting and bleeding on skin
• Severe bleeding (hemorrhage)
• Headaches and other neurological symptoms if the AVM is in the head
• Heart failure may develop due to the large amount of blood that flows through the AVM

Treatment will vary depending on the size and location of your child's AVM and the symptoms and complications your child is experiencing.

Treatment options may include:

• Embolization can be used to treat the AVM or to prepare it for surgery. A tiny catheter inserted into the patient's artery is used to inject material into the abnormal blood vessels to close them.
• Sclerotherapy is a chemical is injected into a blood vessel. This will damage the inside of the vessel so blood cannot flow through it. The vessel will then collapse and form scar tissue.
• Surgery will remove as much of the AVM as possible. Several surgeries may be needed to remove the entire AVM.

Are there other problems that are linked to AVMs?

Some AVMs may be linked to a group of problems called a syndrome. Your doctor will ask you questions about the family health history. Some of the syndromes linked to AVMs are Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, Capillary Malformation-AVM, Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome, Cowden syndrome and Parkes-Weber syndrome.