By Amanda Jepson, MD
MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center
The heart is one of the most important organs – pumping blood and oxygen throughout your body. Sometimes abnormalities form while the baby is still in utero that can cause congenital (present at birth) heart disease. Other times a child may experience irregular heartbeat or disturbances in the heart. A pediatric cardiologist helps your child’s heart to be healthy and strong. But hearing that your child should see a cardiologist can seem intimidating. Here’s what to know about pediatric cardiology and what to expect if you need to visit one.
What is pediatric cardiology?
Pediatric cardiology is focused on diseases of the heart in developing individuals: babies in utero through 21-year-olds. Pediatric cardiology is different from adult cardiology. While adults may have issues with blocked coronary arteries or valve diseases, pediatric cardiology usually works with congenital heart defects or structural issues within the heart.
Why might your child see a pediatric cardiologist?
While a mother is pregnant, a cardiac screening is done at the 20-week check-up to make sure that the big structures of the heart have formed correctly. If the provider notices anything unusual, a patient is then referred to a pediatric cardiologist.
Other kids have minor heart formation defects that are noticed when they get older. Below are two of the most common reasons your child may see a cardiologist.
Cardiac arrythmia is an irregular heartbeat. Heart rhythm issues occur when the electrical signals that make the heartbeat don’t conduct normally. The heart can feel like it’s beating too fast or too slow and the palpitations (heartbeat) are changing.
Heart murmur is usually noticed by a child’s pediatrician during a well-child exam. A heart murmur is when the heart is making extra sounds. This can be for several reasons including heart valve abnormalities, heart muscle disorders or septal defects (hole in the upper or lower chamber of the heart). Heart murmurs are the most common reasons a child is referred to a pediatric cardiologist.
Innocent heart murmurs are common to find. These are heart murmurs that are not harmful to your child. Often patients can grow out of innocent heart murmurs, or the murmurs come in go throughout the child’s life. They can also be louder at times, especially if a child has a fever.
Signs of heart-related conditions
The heart is complex. Symptoms can vary depending on what disease or defect is affecting the heart, but there are some red flags parents should be aware of:
Infants
- Issues gaining weight
- Sweating during feeding
- Unable to finish bottle or taking longer than normal to finish
Children/Adolescents
- Chest pain while exercising
- Fainting while exercising or at rest
If you notice any of these signs, you should contact your child’s pediatrician or provider to schedule an appointment.
What to expect your first visit
While every appointment is individual to our patients, there are a few things you can expect at your first visit. When you and your child come in, you’ll complete a brief medical history. After, your child will have their vital signs taken by a cardiology nurse. Then the pediatric cardiologist comes in and performs a detailed physical examination and reviews any test results.
For expecting mothers, an ultrasound, called a fetal echocardiogram, is used to check the baby’s heart and give the cardiologist more information about how the baby’s heart is forming and what their heart will be like during and after delivery. The information collected from the echocardiogram helps decide whether the baby will need immediate attention after birth or possible medical attention as they get older.
One of the most common tests ordered is an EKG (electrocardiogram) that measures the electrical signals in the heart. EKG’s give the cardiologist insight into any rhythm or structural issues. Another common test is an echocardiogram to observe the heart structure and heart function.
Having your child referred to a pediatric cardiologist can be nerve-racking. Our goal is always to let every child be as safely active as they can. Your child’s heart deserves the best care.
