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…
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…
Born, raised and educated in Miami, Fla., with a large population of Spanish-speakers, Michael Lopez, MD, appreciates the nuances that he can pick up when speaking to a heart family in their own language. When Cyrus Samai, MD, Chief Operating…
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…
Cardiomyopathy is a broad term that encompasses many different diagnoses. When broken down to its most basic form, cardiomyopathy is a long word that means “heart muscle disease.” This disease of the heart muscle makes it harder for the heart…
The country’s eyes were on Damar Hamlin on January 2, 2023, when the Buffalo Bills safety collapsed on the football field after suffering cardiac arrest in front of a shocked stadium and live TV audience. Hamlin was immediately given CPR…
Many parents who have children with congenital heart defects wonder when they should be giving their children acetaminophen (Tylenol) and when they should be giving ibuprofen (Advil/Motrin). Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Cardiology pediatric cardiologist Glen Iannucci, MD, provided answers to…
Summer marks a time when many parents are busy making appointments for their student athletes to get sports physicals. Required by most school systems to participate in school sports, the sports physical screens for many conditions, including heart disease. Where…
As families prepare to take those long-awaited summer vacations with their kids, one question we hear frequently is whether it’s safe to travel with children with congenital heart disease. The answer is YES, with some preparation before you go! Our…
Summertime is the busy season for parents obtaining sports and camp participation clearance forms from their kids’ pediatricians in Georgia. This form highlights specific details of family history, like unexplained early sudden death in a relative, that can indicate inherited…
