Pediatric Cardiology

Caring for children with heart problems is one of our specialties at Stony Brook Children's.

Our team of board certified pediatric cardiologists see more than 2,000 pediatric patients and 650 fetal patients per year. Common reasons for referral include concerns for congenital heart disease, arrhythmia, or acquired heart disease. We have a Fetal Heart Program, a multidisciplinary program that helps coordinate the care for families affected by fetal heart disease.

Our scope of services includes advanced diagnostics; long-term management of cardiovascular diseases in infants, children and adolescents; adults with congenital cardiac defects; and cardiovascular defects in the fetus.

Advanced Diagnostics

Most patients are referred by their primary care physician, who may have noticed something unusual that needs a specialist's evaluation. Examples include heart murmurs, rapid breathing, high blood pressure, certain infections, chest pain, heart rhythm irregularities, fainting episodes or questions about participation in sports. We also see pregnant women referred by their obstetrician to identify some congenital defects prenatally, as early as 16 to 18 weeks of gestation. This allows us to educate the family about prognosis and make informed decisions about the management of the baby at and after birth.

Long-term Management

Many heart problems in childhood may need treatment and monitoring only for a limited time. Other problems may require extended care, and management into adulthood. Stony Brook Children's and Stony Brook Medicine coordinate a multidisciplinary treatment and follow-up program for adults with congenital heart disease.