Energy Drinks and Teen Heart Health: What Parents Should Know
Energy drinks are everywhere—from convenience stores to sports sidelines. Many teens reach for them to stay awake, boost energy, or improve focus. But for teens with congenital or acquired heart conditions, these drinks can pose unique risks. We spoke with…
ADHD Medications and Heart Health: What Families Need to Know
When a child is diagnosed with both attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a heart condition, parents often have questions—and concerns—about how treatment for one condition might affect the other. ADHD medications, especially stimulants, are widely prescribed and effective, but they also…
Sports Physicals: Q&A with a Pediatric Cardiologist
Understanding Sports Physicals What is a sports physical, and why is it important for children and teens? A sports physical is a targeted history and medical exam designed to find children and teens more at risk for injury and medical…
Preparing for the Financial Aspects of CHD
When a family learns that their child has a congenital heart defect, the financial considerations of that serious diagnosis is often the last thing on their minds. However, along with providing your child with the best heart care and treatment…
Symptoms of CHD in babies, toddlers, preteens, and teens
Congenital heart disease, or CHD, involves heart defects and conditions that babies are born with. Sometimes CHD can be detected prenatally, but it is often diagnosed after birth and can present at any age. There are some common symptoms of…
Kids at Heart Connects Families Who “Get It”
In the mid-1990s, a small group of heart parents seeking community with one another started a potluck dinner in the Egleston Hospital conference room. What began as a simple desire to get to know other families traveling on the same…
My Child Fainted! What Do We Do Now?
Q&A with Dr. Brandon Harden, Pediatric Cardiologist & member of the Children’s Cardiology Syncope team Fainting or chronic dizziness in children and adolescents is often a sign that something’s not quite right, and if it happens frequently, they will be…
Grief Companions: Supporting Families Through Child Loss
After I lost my 17-year-old daughter in a car accident in 2021, a friend said the news of our tragedy had traveled through our close-knit community like an “earthquake.” That imagery has stuck with me. The loss of a child…
Down Syndrome Awareness Month: Trisomy 21 and its Effect on the Heart
October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month! Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Cardiology’s pediatric cardiologist, Rachel McKay, MD, took a few minutes to discuss how Trisomy 21 (T21) affects the hearts of some patients. Q: What is Trisomy 21? A: Trisomy 21…
Supporting a Heart Warrior Family: How Can I Help?
When a family is confronted with a serious health diagnosis for their child like a congenital heart defect (CHD), it can feel like the whole world has suddenly shifted beneath their feet. They are often thrust into a new way…