Imagine yourself in the shoes of an expectant couple visiting their OB/GYN for their 20-week pregnancy ultrasound. Thrilled to see tiny images of your baby on the screen, the mood changes as the ultrasound sonographer notices something abnormal. You go through a roller coaster of emotions as you learn the health of your baby is…
Southern Indiana are getting the sophisticated pediatric heart care available at Norton Children’s without having to leave their hometown. Norton Children’s Heart Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, has an extensive network offering pediatric cardiology testing and follow-up care at 16 cardiology offices, 30 tele-echocardiography locations and six fetal echocardiography locations across Southern…
About 1 in 7 U.S. teens have high blood pressure or elevated blood pressure – conditions that often have no symptoms and can lead to serious heart issues as they grow into young adults. Obesity is more common among teens with high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Teens with high…
Baylor Rusher was born in March 2021 with several heart defects — double-inlet left ventricle, great vessels transposition and stenosis of the pulmonary artery. It all started with a routine ultrasound. Chelsea Rusher, who was pregnant with her son, Baylor, was getting a 20-week anatomy scan. During the scan, the provider noticed a complication: It…
It’s not a matter of how much heart you have, but how much heart you give. That is true for Johnathan Young. He was born with half of a working heart. Johnathan, age 11, is the youngest of Greg and Jill Young’s three children. When Jill had her 20-week pregnancy ultrasound, the clinician noticed something…
The commonly-known “goal” for healthy blood pressure in adults is 120/80, but this guideline does not apply to many children. “What is considered a healthy reading for adults could indicate an unhealthy blood pressure for some children,” said Jyothi M. Matta, M.D., pediatric cardiologist with Norton Children’s Heart Institute, affiliated with the UofL School of…
Community members have an opportunity to send children who are patients at Norton Children’s facilities a Valentine’s Day greeting. The greetings can be selected at NortonChildrens.com/Valentine. From Feb. 1 to 10, 2022, people can choose from seven different Valentine’s Day cards with heartfelt messages on the front and fun kids’ activities on the back. The…
In many cases, preventing heart disease in children can be accomplished with lifestyle changes. Preventable heart disease in children is increasing, likely tied to a widespread increase in childhood obesity. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 5 children ages 6 to 19 is obese. Children in the U.S. typically…
A new study confirms that a patient who breastfeeds has a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke, or death from cardiovascular disease. New research suggests that the risk decreases with longer periods of breastfeeding, up to 12 months of duration. “We already know that patients who breastfeed have a lower risk of developing breast…
You occasionally hear about it on the news: A seemingly healthy child suddenly collapses or dies after cardiac arrest on the football field or basketball court, or during another sporting event. But any teenager can have a heart attack, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends screening all children, not just those involved…
State-of-the-art technology is helping save the lives of some of Louisville’s youngest patients. Cardiologists are using a new device to help treat micro-preemies — babies born before the 28th week of pregnancy and/or weighing less than 2 pounds — who have a heart defect caused by part of the fetal structure that remains at birth. Joshua…
In October 2009, Clayton Fackler was “a pretty typical 3-year-old,” according to his mother, Susan Fackler. The family was outside playing when Clayton suddenly collapsed, going into cardiac arrest. From there, Clayton would begin a health journey that would include a brain injury that has caused a number of issues, including spasticity. Sudden collapse leads…