Five things to know about our care for pediatric heart rhythm disorders
Heart arrhythmias can appear in children of all ages, from when they’re in the womb through their teenage years. A heart arrhythmia means an abnormal heartbeat, which can interfere with the heart’s ability to pump blood throughout the body. Symptoms can include heart palpitations (a sense of the heart racing), fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, and fainting.
No matter your child’s age or condition, our dedicated team of electrophysiologists in the Pediatric Heart Center at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital can help diagnose and treat their heart rhythm disorder.
Electrophysiologists specialize in just that – the electrical impulses that power our heart and, when misfiring, can cause an abnormal rhythm – and our team sees patients at both our children’s hospital and within the M Health Fairview Pediatrics network of specialty clinics in the Twin Cities metro and western Wisconsin.
Bradley Clark, MD, director of pediatric electrophysiology with M Health Fairview and an associate professor at the University of Minnesota Medical School, lays out what families should know about our care for pediatric heart rhythm disorders.
We’re home to a team of arrhythmia specialists, at our children’s hospital and in your neighborhood.
We’re Minnesota’s largest group of pediatric heart experts, and our comprehensive team of cardiologists, surgeons, nurses, and other specialists partner seamlessly with your family. Our heart specialists are leaders in their field, with the compassion to keep your child’s needs and dreams at the center of our care.
We have a dedicated electrophysiology clinic in our Pediatric Heart Center at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, staffed by a team of technicians, nurses, cardiac anesthesiologists, and others experienced in caring for children and teens with arrhythmias.
“If your child needs treatment at our children’s hospital, you can rest assured knowing they’re surrounded by a team of experts providing patient-centered care,” said Clark. “We have a depth of knowledge and experience that allows us to provide tailored care for every child who comes through our doors.”
Both Clark and Erick Jimenez, MD, a pediatric electrophysiologist and assistant professor with the University of Minnesota Medical School, see patients at our children’s hospital and through our satellite pediatric specialty clinics, located throughout the metro. Our pediatric specialty clinics offer advanced care close to home, including electrocardiogram (ECG) and echocardiography to diagnose and treat a range of heart conditions.
The care your child needs, close to home. Learn more about our pediatric specialty clinics.
We’re able to treat a range of heart rhythm disorders, from infancy through young adulthood.
Arrhythmias can appear at any time, but they tend to be diagnosed either close to birth or in older children and adolescents. A heart rhythm disorder may appear on an ultrasound, in which case our fetal cardiologists can follow up with advanced testing to determine the problem. Treatment is sometimes possible when the baby is still in utero and, if not, our fetal and pediatric electrophysiologists collaborate to treat the arrhythmia as soon as possible after birth.
On the other hand, older children and teenagers may be diagnosed with an arrhythmia after several episodes of symptoms, such as palpitations, dizziness or fainting.
There are several treatment options for heart rhythm disorders, including medication, ablation, or a pacemaker or defibrillator depending on the cause. These last two are devices inserted in the heart that can help restore normal rhythm. Treatment depends on several factors, including the type of arrhythmia your child is diagnosed with, their age, and other medical conditions.
We’re able to perform ablations for many heart rhythm disorders.
We offer cardiac ablation, which can help cure heart arrhythmias, in our dedicated electrophysiology lab at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital. During an ablation, our electrophysiologists safely access your child’s heart through small catheters inserted in the legs. They can then deliver either radiofrequency energy (heat) or cryoablation (cold) to the abnormal cardiac cells that are misfiring to get rid of them and prevent the abnormal rhythm from returning in the future.
New 3D mapping technology helps us get a clear picture.
Our Pediatric Heart Center is home to the newest 3D mapping technology, which allows us to get an incredibly detailed picture of your child’s heart without the need for X-rays. This new imaging technology can help us shorten ablation procedures and increase the chances of success by allowing our doctors to better identify the precise location of the misfiring electrical signals.
“This new technology allows us to improve our accuracy and reduce the risk of complications by focusing in on the exact area we need to target during an ablation procedure,” said Clark.
We collaborate with surgeons and other specialists to surround your child with care.
Every child is unique, and the same goes for their heart. While many arrhythmias can be treated by electrophysiology alone, some conditions require close collaboration with other pediatric heart specialists. Some children or teens who need a device implanted may require surgical intervention. In these cases, our electrophysiologists partner closely with surgeons in our Pediatric Heart Center.
“With pediatric cardiology, things are often connected in odd ways,” said Dr. Clark. “We work with our fellow pediatric heart specialists on a daily basis to ensure we’re providing the best possible care, tailored to each child’s unique needs.”
World-leading expertise, with a compassionate heart. Learn more about our Pediatric Heart Center.
