Adolescent Visit
You and your child visited your doctor and he or she referred your child to be further evaluated by one our pediatric cadriologists at The Children's Heart Clinic. Common reasons for adolescent referrals include:
- heart murmurs
- syncope (fainting)
- chest pain
- electrocardiogram (EKG) or echocardiogram (echo) results requiring further analysis/investigation
- clearance for participation in a sport
- family history of congenital heart disease
What to bring:
- insurance card
- primary/referring physician's name , address and phone number
- any tests or information regarding the reason for referral from your primary care provider
- Social Security numbers (child's and parents')
- emergency contact name and number
- patient information and patient consent form (see below)
We require all first-time patients to complete a patient information and patient consent form. These can be mailed to you by the scheduling receptionist or you can print them off under Patient Forms.
The doctor may order tests for further evaluation and diagnosis. These tests include:
Electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG)
This five-minute test provides a graphical recording of the patient's heartbeat. The nurse will apply blue gelly-like stickers to the patient's arms, legs and chest, and then clips will be attached. Please do not apply lotion on the day of the appointment, as the stickers may slide off. A print-out of the recording will be reviewed by the physician. Note: girls wear a gown for this test and are not exposed.
X-rays
X-rays are done by our radiologic technologist. She will take your child to the X-ray room and have him or her stand by the wall, next to the film. She will ask the child to take a deep breath and then will take the X-ray picture. This test takes less than five minutes. Girls wear gowns during this test and are not exposed.
Echocardiogram (echo)
An echo, or cardiac ultrasound, produces streaming video of the heart. Our echo technician (sonographer) uses warm gel on the child's chest and then uses a special microphone to get the images on their screen. Parents may sit in the exam room during this test. While the test is being performed, you and your child can watch the ultrasound with the technician or watch a movie from our selection. Girls wear a gown for this test and are not exposed.
The doctor will see you and your child after some or all of these tests. He or she will take a family history and ask about any symptoms your child may be experiencing. None of our tests hurt. The doctor will go over the results and answer any questions or concerns you or your child may have.
After the clinic visit, a letter detailing the visit and test results will be sent to your primary doctor.
Tip: Boys and girls may want to wear shirts that open in the front with buttons for ease of exams and tests. Otherwise, gowns are offered for female patients.