While we often think of heart health concerns such as heart disease affecting only adults, kids are also impacted. Children are affected by many heart-related issues, including:

• Anomalous pulmonary venous drainage
• Aortic stenosis
• Arrhythmias
• Atrial septal defect
• Atrioventricular canal defect
• Bicuspid aortic valve
• Cardiomyopathy
• Chest/upper abdominal pain or pressure
• Coarctation of the aorta
• Congenital and acquired heart block
• Ebstein anomaly
• Endocarditis
• Hemangioma
• Hypertension
• Patent ductus arteriosus
• Patent foramen ovale
• Pulmonic stenosis
• Single ventricle
• Syncope
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Truncus arteriosus
• Vascular malformations
• Vascular rings
• Ventricular septal defect

Kentucky Children’s Hospital offers a full spectrum of diagnostic and treatment options, along with supportive care for these conditions, including:

Advanced cardiac imaging, including both cardiac MRI and CT. These diagnostic tests allow healthcare providers to capture highly detailed images of the heart and its blood vessels. Using these diagnostic images, doctors can then suggest an appropriate treatment option, gauge the effectiveness of current treatment or determine whether a condition is worsening.

Cardiac anesthesia, which is a special field of anesthesia used when a child needs to undergo a procedure.

Cardiothoracic surgery, which involves operative management of conditions affecting the heart and lungs. This program is led by Carl Backer, MD, chief of pediatric cardiothoracic surgery at Kentucky Children’s Hospital, who has years of expertise and experience as a cardiac surgeon.

Echocardiography, which offers diagnostic technology and expertise to help interpret complex congenital heart abnormalities in children, including those in utero. This includes all forms of noninvasive and invasive heart ultrasound, including fetal echocardiography and ultrasound for adult congenital heart disease.

Electrophysiology, which offers arrhythmia treatment and management for children using advanced medications, catheter-based procedures and implantable cardiac devices to provide the highest level of patient-centered care. These services are available through Pediatric Heart Rhythm Services.

Fetal cardiology, which provides diagnosis and treatment for fetal cardiac care issues. Care is provided by a collaborative team including fetal cardiologists, fetal sonographers, a patient navigator and a licensed clinical social worker. This team works alongside obstetricians and maternal-fetal medicine specialists to provide complete care for mother and child. Our fetal team also participates in national multicenter research studies to bring leading-edge care to Kentucky patients and their families.

Interventional cardiology, which treats children and adults with heart defects using interventional or therapeutic cardiac catheterization procedures rather than heart surgery when possible. Cardiac catheterization procedures can also be used in a diagnostic capacity to follow complex heart conditions and accurately record progression in the disease.

Children’s treatment for the heart available through Kentucky Children’s Hospital also includes some specialized programs. These programs are designed to treat heart health conditions that are often chronic in nature. As a result, we often work closely with programs at the UK Gill Heart & Vascular Institute, such as Adult Heart Rhythm Program and Adult Congenital Heart Program. This allows patients to seamlessly transition their care when they enter adulthood.

We also offer specialized services for the treatment of congenital heart disease. There are multiple types of congenital heart disease, which can be diagnosed before birth, immediately after birth, in childhood or even in adulthood.

When your child’s heart is at stake, the hospital you chose matters. At the Kentucky Children’s Hospital Joint Pediatric and Congenital Heart Program, your child will receive nationally recognized care from nationally recognized experts.

Patients at Kentucky Children’s Hospital also benefit from our commitment to family-centered care. Every step we take is guided by our mission to provide patients and their families top-of-the-line care and support.

At Kentucky Children's Hospital, your child will receive extraordinary care from our experienced pediatric cardiology and heart surgery teams. Learn more about these providers from their profiles at the bottom of the page. 

Our team also benefits from the support of the specialists at Cincinnati Children's Heart Institute. Learn more about the Cincinnati Children's team.

Information for patient families to have as they prepare for procedures and tests

• Kentucky Children's Hospital Procedures Guide (PDF, 42 KB)
• Kentucky Children's Hospital Procedures Guide: Cardiac MRI (PDF, 308 KB)
• Kentucky Children's Hospital Procedures Guide: Cardiac CT Scan (PDF, 1 MB)

Project ADAM

Project ADAM (Automated Defibrillators in Adam’s Memory) is a not-for-profit program that is part of Kentucky Children’s Hospital. The goal of our program is to build relationships and support schools and communities in being prepared for a sudden cardiac arrest. Learn more about Project ADAM by downloading the flyer below.

Contact us by email at ProjectADAMKCH@uky.edu.

Other resources

• American College of Cardiology
• Kerrington's Heart is dedicated to the education, support, and encouragement of children with heart disease, their families and caregivers.  
• Mended Hearts
• National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute Information Center
• Pediatric Congenital Heart Association
• Visit our Families & Visitors page to learn about preparing for your child's inpatient stay at Kentucky Children's Hospital.