The Penn State Health Children’s Hospital Approach to Cardiology Care

Penn State Health Children’s Hospital has provided compassionate, expert heart care to children and adolescents throughout central Pennsylvania for more than 25 years.

Comprehensive Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosing and treating heart conditions takes an experienced, multidisciplinary team. Our team works together to provide testing and diagnosis, treatment and management of acquired and congenital heart disease as well as diagnosing and managing heart issues in babies before birth. Identifying and managing heart problems before a baby’s birth helps our doctors and families develop a treatment plan together. This prepares everyone for the newborn period and beyond.

Diagnostic tools to test for heart problems, include:

• 3-D echocardiograms
• Cardiac MRIs
• CT scans
• Electrocardiograms (EKGs)
• Fetal echocardiograms
• Holter monitor studies
• Stress tests
• Stress echocardiograms
• Tilt-table tests
• Transthoracic echocardiograms
• Transesophageal echocardiograms (intra-operative diagnosis, guidance and monitoring)

Advanced Surgical Care

When surgery is necessary, our cardiologists work directly with the pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital to help develop a treatment plan. Our experts use 3D printing to create models of your child’s heart prior to surgery so they can understand and map out the surgery prior to the surgical procedure.

Why Choose Penn State Health Children’s Hospital for Cardiology

Families from across the region come to us to get unmatched cardiovascular care and services for their child.

Nationally Recognized Cardiovascular Care

Penn State Health Children’s Hospital offers a level of expertise and breadth of services not available elsewhere in central Pennsylvania. You can count on top-quality care from an experienced team.

Expert, Team-Based Care Designed for You

We bring together a team of experts to ensure you receive complete care and individual attention. Our cardiologists, pediatric cardiothoracic surgeons, cardiac intensivists who specialize in intensive care treatment, cardiovascular nurses, imaging technologists, pediatric weight management specialists, and cardiac genetic specialists work as a team to diagnose, treat and manage your child’s heart condition.

Cardiovascular Disease Research and Clinical Trials

Penn State Health is researching tomorrow’s tests, treatments and cures recognizing the signs of heart disease. At Penn State Health Children’s Hospital, we are dedicated to improving the understanding of diseases and enhancing treatment and prevention of childhood illnesses through our research. When you come here, you get the latest, researched-backed care. Find out if a clinical trial is right for you.

Conditions Treated

Penn State Health Children’s Hospital cardiology provides care for:

• Cardiomyopathy
• Evaluation for murmurs, chest pain, syncope, etc.
• Abnormal heart rhythm
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Hyperlipidemia
• Kawasaki’s disease
• Structural defects of the heart (congenital heart disease)
• Myocarditis
• Obesity

Camp Lionheart

A camp for kids with special hearts

Camp Lionheart is a summer camp held annually for children 12 through 18 years of age with heart disease. Boys and girls with repaired congenital heart defects or cardiomyopathies have an opportunity to learn about their hearts and physical abilities in the company of other children with heart disease. The camp is held at Camp Kirchenwald, located near Colebrook PA (about 10 miles southeast of Penn State Health Children’s Hospital) each year during the last week of July.

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For more information contact Camp Lionheart

Support Groups

Support groups provide children and their families an opportunity to connect with others in similar situations. Learn more about the support groups offered at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital.

View All Support Groups