Echocardiography in Children

An echocardiogram is an ultrasound specifically of the heart, using sound waves to view the structure and blood flow of the heart. It is a painless and non-radioactive method of diagnosing heart problems. Since the patient must be still, sedation may be necessary with small children.

Before the Procedure

• Usually, when children younger than three or four years of age are having an echocardiogram, they are given a sedative to help them relax and be still for the test. If the child must be sedated, there will be restrictions on what they can eat and drink in the hours before the test. Children that do not need to be sedated generally have no such restrictions.

During the Procedure

• Children will lie on beds at a slight angle during the test, and must be very still. The sonographer will apply a gel to the chest area to help optimize the ultrasound picture, and will then move a probe around the child's chest to obtain a picture of the child's heart. The results of the tests may be given immediately after the procedure, or during a follow-up visit. This depends on the severity of any problem detected, as well as the procedures of the clinic or hospital.

After the Procedure

• If the child did not require sedation, he will generally be able to resume normal activity, unless a serious problem was detected. If the child was sedated, he generally needs to spend time in recovery until he had a drink juice and eaten a small snack. The child will generally be groggy and off balance the rest of the day. When driving home, an adult should sit in the backseat next to the child to assist in the case of vomiting.