Pediatric Cardiology Clinic

The Pediatric Cardiology Clinic is your child’s first step toward their healthiest heart possible. We’re usually a family's first stop at the Heart Institute after they’ve received a referral from their primary care doctor. Here, one of our pediatric cardiologists meets with your child and family to assess their heart.

Our cardiologists are experts in diagnosing and treating congenital heart disease and other childhood heart conditions. We'll recommend a care plan for your child and coordinate with other specialists from the Heart Institute to provide the best heart care.

Who we treat at the Pediatric Cardiology Clinic

We care for any child of any age with a known or potential heart condition. Our clinic is often where we confirm a diagnosis and tell you about your care options based on your child’s unique heart condition. Our experts can also confirm if your child does not have a heart problem after all.

When should a child see a cardiologist?

We see patients for all different diagnoses, from chest pain to complex congenital heart needs or when referred by a primary care provider. If your child’s primary doctor believes they should see a heart specialist, we are one of the largest and most experienced centers in the region, able to treat just about every heart condition and provide complete testing and treatment.

What to expect at your child’s first pediatric cardiology appointment

Our coordinators will greet your family, check you in and direct you to one of our specially trained medical assistants. Our specialists will weigh and measure your child and then escort you to an examination room where they will take their blood pressure, temperature and heart rate.

During your child’s first visit, our cardiologists will decide if they need diagnostic testing. Our staff can perform tests such as an electrocardiogram (EKG) and an echocardiogram (ECHO) to help us learn more about their condition. These tests are non-invasive, not painful and performed in a safe environment by our technicians who are trained to work with kids and make them feel comfortable throughout the process.

Sometimes we can determine the need for testing based on the referral from your child’s doctor or other medical signs we find in their medical history. Getting appropriate testing first can make your visit more efficient and get the answers your child’s doctor needs right away. If we find your child needs treatment from our experts, we will discuss the next steps with you and your family and develop a heart care plan for your child.

How long will my pediatric cardiology appointment take?

You should plan to be in our Pediatric Cardiology Clinic for up to three hours for your child’s first visit. We know this is a long appointment, but we make sure to complete the tests, make a diagnosis and discuss our care plan with you all on the same day. This helps save time and reduce stress on you and your child. Occasionally, children will need to come back for further testing.

What to expect after your pediatric cardiology appointment

Your family’s next step will vary based on your child’s heart condition. We usually perform more specific tests or refer you to a specialist. In addition to the routine pediatric EKG and ECHO tests, we can perform other heart tests when needed. These tests can include exercise testing, 6-minute walking tests, Holter monitoring, cardiac event recordings, specialty echocardiograms or cardiac MRIs. We’ll only perform these tests when necessary and we’ll explain each test to you and your child beforehand.

Once we learn more about your child’s condition, we may refer them to one of our subspecialty pediatric cardiology clinics or programs so they can receive even more specialized care based on their diagnosis. We have clinics that focus on a range of conditions, including arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, single ventricle heart disease and pulmonary hypertension.

Why choose us for pediatric cardiology care

The best heart care can’t happen without an accurate and complete diagnosis — and that’s what we provide. With the most advanced cardiology testing technology and decades of experience, our pediatric heart experts make sure your child gets the best start to their care.

We also understand that a heart condition diagnosis can be hard for kids and families. We provide compassionate, expert care in a child-friendly environment and know how to make your child feel safe and comfortable. Everything from our spaces to our equipment is designed just for kids.

You’ll have the support and expertise of a top ranked children’s heart center in the country, according to U.S. News & World Report. With outstanding outcomes and more than 25,000 clinic visits each year, we’re simply the best heart center in the region for your child.

Scheduling your first pediatric cardiology visit

To set up your child’s initial appointment at our general cardiology clinic, you can call us at 720-777-6355. Your child’s primary care doctor can also make a referral to the Heart Institute, and our schedulers will contact you directly. If our schedulers contact you, they will ask for your child’s information, including name, age, address, symptoms or clinical diagnosis, and insurance information. Our financial counselors are available to help you through the process of applying for healthcare coverage if you don’t have insurance.

Heart care close to home

Based on where you live and what services your child will need, we’ll schedule your appointment as soon as we can at one of several cardiology locations in the Denver Metro area or Colorado Springs, or in one of our regional outreach clinics.

If you don’t live in the Denver Metro area, know that we staff our regional outreach clinics with the same pediatric cardiologists who work at Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora. You’ll receive the best possible care no matter which location you visit.