Pediatric Cardiology

What is a Pediatric Cardiologist?

Pediatric cardiologists have a medical background in pediatrics and cardiology.  They are physicians who specialize in diagnosing and treating heart disorders in babies, children, teenagers and occasionally infants still in the womb.

Pediatric Cardiologists of the Heart Center for Children Dallas

Jane M. Kao, M.D.

Henry W. Kort, M.D.

Required Training to become a Pediatric Cardiologist:

Four years of undergraduate school

Four years of medical school
Three years of residency training in pediatric medicine
Three more years of fellowship training in pediatric cardiology
Certification from the American Board of Pediatrics and the American Board of Pediatric Cardiology

Pediatric Cardiologists generally provide treatment for a variety of heart problems in children, which include:

Heart murmurs (extra heart sounds)
Chest pain

Hypertension (high blood pressure)

Arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat)
Palpitations (sensation of a racing heart)

Syncope (fainting, lightheadedness or dimmed vision)

Congenital heart defects (those occurring at birth) in children are the most common abnormalities of the heart.

Pediatric Cardiologists will sometimes require more involved tests for your child.  Following a detailed history and physical examination, tests might include:

Electrocardiogram (EKG)

Echocardiogram (an ultrasound of the heart)

Exercise stress test

Cardiac catheterization (placing thin flexible tubes through the blood vessels and heart to measure  blood flow, pressure, and oxygen levels)