FAQ's

Q. What is a heart murmur?

A. A heart murmur is a sound that your doctor may hear when listening to your child’s heart.  A heart murmur may indicate an abnormality in your child’s heart or it may be an innocent murmur.  An innocent murmur is a normal sound heard in many children throughout childhood.

Q. My doctor wanted me to see a pediatric cardiologist.  What should I expect during this visit?

A. You and your child will meet with a board certified pediatric cardiologist who will ask you questions about your child’s medical history and examine your child.  Depending on the concerns that the cardiologist has, this visit may include multiple tests.  The most common tests that we perform are electrocardiograms (EKG) and echocardiograms.  In order to have the most complete evaluation of your child, these tests are performed right in our office.  Please be aware that an initial visit may take 2 to 3 hours to allow any necessary testing to be completed.

Q. Will I get the results that day?

A. The cardiologist will discuss the results of all tests performed in our office with you before the end of your visit.   Any test results not immediately available, will be shared via a phone call as soon as results are available.

Q. When will my doctor get the results?

A. The cardiologist will send a report to the doctor who referred you (and to any additional specialists you are seeing).  These reports are usually sent within 1-2 weeks from your visit.

Q. How should I prepare my child for the visit?

A. You may want to consider bringing formula, diapers, snacks or a special toy for young children, since the visit to pediatric cardiology may last a few hours.  All of our echo rooms are equipped with DVD players, so if your child has a favorite DVD, please bring it with you and let our staff know before we perform the echocardiogram.

Q. What should I do with school or camp forms?

A. Please bring these forms with you and inform the nurse at the beginning of the visit, so that the forms can be completed in a timely manner.

Q. English is not my primary language.  Are translation services available?

A. We have translation phones available so that you can speak with your doctor in whichever language you feel most comfortable.