Genetic Testing and Care for Pediatric Heart Problems

Guiding children and families forward

Parents often want to know how the condition will affect their child and what to expect as their child grows up. Every child is unique, but we are able to guide parents and help them quickly line up resources to help ensure that their child has the best outcomes possible. For example, we can help you and your child get access to:

• Early intervention services

• Speech therapy

• Counseling to work on social aspects of a child’s condition

• Resources that are available at your child’s school

Focused on the whole family

We focus on all of the family’s needs and try to help the parents at every stage of their child’s journey. Parents often have a lot of questions when their child has been diagnosed with a genetic heart condition. We work to provide all the information you need about the genetic change and the ways that it may affect your child’s heart and health. We often screen siblings and do genetic tests for parents as well, especially if they want to have more children.

Providing resources for genetic testing

We can evaluate genetic test results for families who are seeking a second opinion. We can help rule out certain conditions and clarify why children might have received inconclusive or incorrect results. We can also discuss what test results might mean for a child’s health.

A clinic for the genetic deletion 22q11

We are one of two clinics in Texas focused on a genetic defect called 22q11, which happens when a particular part of a chromosome is missing. This defect can affect several different systems in the body. Our multidisciplinary clinic can work with you and your child so that they can see all the specialists that they need.

The cardiovascular genetics clinic at Children’s Health℠ provides expert care for children who are born with heart conditions caused by genetic changes (also called genetic mutations or anomalies). These genetic changes cause about 20% of heart disease in newborns.

At Children’s Health, we take a family history of heart disease, give your baby a physical exam and assess their heart health using tests such as an electrocardiogram (EKG). If we find that your child has a genetic condition, our team will work together to address heart problems and any other aspects of the condition as they grow up.