Pediatric Echo Services Close to Home
Parents no longer need to leave the region for the diagnosis of pediatric heart conditions
Southcoast Hospitals Group
began offering pediatric
echocardiograms (echo) at
its Tobey Hospital site in
Wareham on January 1. The test is used
to detect heart abnormalities in infants
and children.
“The echocardiogram is a noninvasive and reliable method used to detect all types of heart conditions in both children and adults,” said Michael Langford, Manager of Echocardiography Services for Southcoast Hospitals Group.
Heart murmurs or suspected atrial septal defects, sometimes called a hole in the heart, are the most common defects found in infants.
Also offered at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford and Charlton Memorial Hospital in Fall River, the pediatric echo is an ultrasound test of the heart similar to the adult echocardiogram with instruments that are proportionate to the smaller patients.
“Having the service available at all three hospital sites is convenient for parents and further expands our comprehensive heart services across the region,” Langford said.
The new pediatric service is available Monday through Saturday as part of the existing adult echocardiography program offered at Tobey Hospital.
Diagnosing Heart Defects
There are two types of heart disease in children — “congenital,” which is present at birth, and “acquired,” which develops during childhood. The pediatric echo is used in the detection and monitoring of both. Additional tests used in the diagnosis of heart disease in adults and children such as electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) and Holter Monitor, also are available at Tobey Hospital.Heart defects are the most common type of birth defect and in most cases the cause is unknown. According to the March of Dimes, one out of 125 children in the U.S. is born with heart defects. Only a small percentage needs surgery.
