Assessment of the heart in children and adolescents. We diagnose congenital malformations, heart murmurs and rhythm disturbances in a friendly and safe environment for the little ones.
Pediatric cardiology deals with the prevention, evaluation, diagnosis and monitoring of heart conditions in children, from the newborn period to adolescence. This specialty includes both the evaluation of congenital heart malformations and rhythm disturbances, heart murmurs or other symptoms that may suggest a heart problem. At CMIB, each child receives a careful assessment, adapted to their age and clinical picture, through modern investigations and personalized recommendations.
It is recommended that you see a pediatric cardiologist when the child experiences palpitations, unusual fatigue, shortness of breath, episodes of fainting, chest pain, bluish coloration of the lips or skin, or when the doctor notices a heart murmur at the consultation. In infants, some important signs may be difficulties with eating, slow weight gain, or rapid breathing.
Pediatric cardiology consultation
Electrocardiogram (ECG/ECG)
Pediatric echocardiography
Holter monitoring, in recommended cases
Assessment of heart murmurs, rhythm disturbances and suspicion of cardiac malformations
Personalized Cardiological Monitoring and Follow-up Plans
Heart disease in children can be present from birth or appear or become apparent later as the child grows. Some conditions are detected in the first months of life, while others are identified by chance, following a routine check-up or the appearance of seemingly nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue, difficulty exercising, or palpitations.
It is important to know that not every heart blow means a heart disease. Many whistles in children are innocent, but some may be associated with structural heart problems and must be evaluated by a specialist. That is precisely why the pediatric cardiology consultation has the role of differentiating benign situations from those that require further investigation or monitoring.
For a correct assessment, it is important to follow some essential steps:
Let's observe the symptoms and when they appear.
Let's evaluate, together with the specialist doctor, the child's history and possible family history.
Let's carry out the recommended investigations according to age and symptomatology.
Let's interpret the results in a clinical context, not in isolation.
Let's periodically re-evaluate the child when cardiological follow-up is recommended.
1.From the first stage, it is important to differentiate between children without alarm signs and those who show suggestive symptoms or changes at the clinical examination. For example, eating difficulties, slow growth, rapid breathing, cyanosis or fainting episodes require careful evaluation.
2.Pediatric cardiology is not only about the detection of congenital malformations. The doctor can also assess heart rhythm disturbances, palpitations, chest pain, heart murmurs, or other symptoms that raise the suspicion of a heart condition. Commonly used investigations include ECG, echocardiography and, in some situations, Holter monitoring or exercise test.
Among the investigations that may be of importance in pediatric cardiological evaluation are:
electrocardiogram,
echocardiography,
Holter monitoring,
the effort test, in selected cases,
other investigations recommended by the doctor depending on the context.
3.Echocardiography is one of the most important investigations in pediatric cardiology because it allows visualizing the structure and function of the heart and can diagnose most forms of congenital heart disease. The ECG provides information about the rhythm and electrical activity of the heart, and the Holter can capture rhythm disturbances that do not occur on a short-term EKG.
4.General recommendations for parents interested in the cardiological evaluation of the child include:
presentation to the consultation when symptoms or changes noticed by the doctor appear,
tracking development, exercise tolerance and diet in infants,
preservation of previous documents and investigations for comparison,
compliance with regular checks when the child is already on the record,
following medical recommendations on monitoring and treatment.
Depending on the result, the doctor may only recommend periodic monitoring or further investigations, and in certain situations interventional or surgical treatments, especially in the case of congenital heart defects. Long-term follow-up may be important for some children with heart malformations.
5. When do we ask ourselves the question of a pediatric cardiology evaluation?
When the child has suggestive symptoms, when the doctor hears a heart murmur, when there is suspicion of congenital heart malformation, episodes of palpitations or fainting, or when there is a relevant family history. The assessment is also important for already diagnosed children who need regular monitoring.
At CMIB, we assess a child's heart health with attention, empathy, and age-appropriate investigations. Make an appointment for a pediatric cardiology consultation and find out what investigations are recommended in your child's case.
Yes, both ECG and echocardiography are completely painless and do not use radiation.
If he gets tired quickly, he has difficulty breathing, wheezing detected by the pediatrician, or acutely feels chest pain.
No. Many heartaches in children are innocent, but some may be related to a structural problem of the heart and must be evaluated by the specialist.
In many cases, yes. Some defects only require periodic follow-up, and others may require interventions or long-term monitoring by the pediatric cardiologist.
