Cardiology Archives - Nemours Blog

PATIENT STORIES

Kaitlyn: Left Aortic Arch With Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery

“I can finally live my life, and I feel like I have a second chance.” – Kaitlyn, patient My name is Kaitlyn, I’m 17 years old and I’m a junior in high school. I found out on January 17, 2024, that I had a left aortic arch with a right aberrant subclavian artery. Before I was diagnosed, I knew from a very early age that something just wasn’t right. I would constantly have issues eating and taking medicine. I noticed that I couldn’t eat meat or any large pieces of food without feeling like it was caught in my throat. Looking back on my childhood, I always avoided the foods that made me feel that way. This caused me to develop iron-deficiency anemia. I wasn’t getting the right protein I needed, and I was constantly tired and felt worn out. I would also have palpitations to the point where it […]

CARDIOLOGY

Supporting Mental Health in Children with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD): The Importance of Comprehensive Care

It’s no surprise that children diagnosed with cardiac disease often experience anxiety or depression. Their caregivers may also struggle with mental health as they navigate treatment. Dr. Erica Sood and Dr. Joselyn Kenowitz, both pediatric psychologists at the Nemours Cardiac Center at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware emphasize the importance of providing mental health support in cardiac settings to address challenges early and prevent worsening issues. Their work highlights the need for comprehensive mental health programs from diagnosis through young adulthood, with initiatives like HEARTPrep for prenatal support and the Milestones Program to address developmental and mental health needs. The goal is to ensure families are prepared for the mental health impacts of congenital heart disease (CHD) and have access to necessary resources. 1. How is mental health connected to cardiac care? Dr. Sood: The stress of cardiac care in the hospital and at home can affect the mental health of […]

CARDIOLOGY

Care for the Smallest Hearts- Easton’s Story

“When your child is in the hospital it affects everyone. I am thankful that Nemours recognizes this and has resources to support families through times of hospitalization and ongoing care.” – Easton’s mom, Brandi Easton was diagnosed at 20 weeks’ gestation with tetralogy of Fallot. I was being seen as a high-risk pregnancy due to advanced maternal age and previous miscarriage. When we discovered the heart condition, we began seeing Nemours Children’s cardiology [Nemours Cardiac Center] and I was connected with the OB team at Nemours [Advanced Delivery Program] with the plan being to deliver at Nemours with a scheduled C-section at 38 weeks. But Easton had other plans. At 36 weeks, my water broke, and I checked in at our local hospital 1.5 hours away from Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware. Due to his prematurity and availability at the time to deliver at Nemours, I was transferred by ambulance to […]

PATIENT STORIES

The Heart of a Superhero: Noel’s Story

Superheroes often have an origin story, and Noel Christian’s begins before he was born. When his mother was pregnant, an ultrasound showed that he had a heart condition. It wasn’t until he was 3 months old that he was diagnosed with not one but three heart problems: Noel had his first open heart surgery when he was about 6 months old. He says that years later, “I was so incredibly exhausted, tired and out of breath. It was a horrible experience.” Not being able to exercise was incredibly frustrating for someone who always had a desire to be active. Noel wasn’t able to attend the tae kwon do classes he enjoyed, run or even walk very far. “I couldn’t keep up with my friends,” explains Noel, now 23. “Within a few minutes I would stop walking to catch my breath, and I would make excuses because I felt weak. Every […]

Twin Treatment: Ava and Emma’s Story

Discover how twin sisters Ava and Emma overcame twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) thanks to the expert and advance care at Nemours Children’s Health.

Dwarfism Awareness Month: The White Family’s Story

For the White family, life has been full of unexpected challenges—but also extraordinary resilience and hope. Three of Seth and Hannah’s children, Samuel, Selah, and Stephen, were all diagnosed with Ellis-Van Creveld Syndrome (EVC), a type of skeletal dysplasia that restricts cartilage and bone growth and is often accompanied by congenital heart defects. Their journey, which began with the birth of their first son, Samuel, has led them across the country to Nemours Children’s Hospital, Delaware, where they found the care they needed for their children’s complex condition. The family’s story begins in Arkansas, where Samuel, now 6, was born. Hannah remembers the uncertainty surrounding Samuel’s diagnosis. “At our 20-week ultrasound, we learned that Samuel had some complex medical concerns, but even after a lot of testing, they weren’t sure of his exact diagnoses,” she said. It wasn’t until after Samuel’s birth that the family learned he had EVC, along […]

PATIENT STORIES

Coordinated Care: Micah’s Story

Micah’s journey began with some unexpected twists and turns, before he even entered this world. “Before Micah was born, we received the news that he might have Down syndrome through routine blood work during pregnancy,” shares his mother, Kaitlyn. “It was a whirlwind of emotions, but we leaned on the support and expertise of Nemours from the very beginning.” Kaitlyn’s family have been seeing providers at Nemours Children’s throughout the Delaware Valley ever since her firstborn arrived prematurely. Her GYN office recommended Nemours Children’s, and they found the care to be exceptional, so they continued with Micah’s treatment there. It was his team at Nemours that diagnosed Micah with Trisomy 21, commonly known as Down syndrome, along with clubfoot and a cardiac concern – coarctation of the aorta. Nemours became their beacon of hope, with a multidisciplinary team ready to address Micah’s complex needs. From the Trisomy 21 Clinic to […]

CARDIOLOGY

Koal’s Aortic Stenosis Journey

I still remember the day Koal was born like it was yesterday. Just giving birth and hearing the daunting words that our sweet baby boy had a heart problem right away was enough to make any parent panic. At birth, Koal was diagnosed with aortic stenosis. Koal had a heart cath procedure at just 1 day old. They went in through the groin and into the heart with a balloon to open up the aortic valve. He had this procedure done again at 3 months old. After that, it was years of doctor appointments, testing, and imaging to monitor it. When he turned 15, he finally had open heart surgery to replace his aortic valve. As he grew older, Koal struggled with getting winded when running and when he tried to play the trumpet in a band, even just regular playing. Certain medicines would cause his heart to beat extra fast which would make […]

SERVICES & SPECIALTIES

Mending the Smallest Hearts: Lottie’s Tetralogy of Fallot Diagnosis (In Mom’s Words)

Our precious newborn, Lottie was the cutest bundle of joy we could have ever imagined. At just weeks old, our pediatrician noticed a heart murmur at her routine visit. We had no idea until a visit to the Nemours Children’s Cardiac Center in Delaware that she had any cardiac issues whatsoever. After an echocardiogram, Lottie was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). Her diagnosis included TOF with valvar and subvalvar pulmonary stenosis, with large secundum ASD and additional posterior muscular VSD. After we received Lottie’s diagnosis, we were very anxious, knowing our child could have “TET spells” a condition where she would have had lack of oxygen and blood to her organs, including her brain. Constant monitoring and always watching for any signs, knowing that her condition was inevitably going to worsen. As a nurse, I knew immediately she would need open heart surgery and I felt like my whole world came […]

PATIENT STORIES

From Diagnosis to Triumph: Ny’Jour’s Journey

From diagnosis to triumph, Ny’Jour’s complex medical journey involving heterotaxy and heart complexities received compassionate care from Nemours Cardiac and Maternal-Fetal Medicine teams.

CARDIOLOGY

Axel’s Pectus Excavatum

From a young age, Axel’s family had noticed the unusual appearance of his chest. They took him to see a few different providers, but they were told that his chest was not responsible for his symptoms, and it was only a cosmetic defect. It wasn’t until Axel needed a checkup and couldn’t get into his regular pediatrician that his mom searched for another pediatrician. At that appointment, Axel asked his mom once again to mention his chest, and although hesitant due to their past experiences, she brought it up. This pediatrician immediately noticed that something was wrong and referred them to Dr. Kellianne Kleeman, a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon at Nemours Children’s Hospital, Florida. Dr. Kleeman mapped out a detailed care plan that included a minimally invasive surgery to repair his pectus excavatum. Axel says, “When Dr. Kleeman showed us the picture in clinic—that was the first time I saw my […]

ASSOCIATE HIGHLIGHT

Doctors’ Day Spotlight: Mary Bailey Mehta, MD

Dr. Mary Mehta’s journey into the medical profession was inspired by her upbringing on a farm. When she was young, her initial aspirations leaned towards veterinary medicine. However, her focus shifted during high school, leading her towards a career in pediatric medicine ever since. Dr. Mehta has been dedicated to serving the needs of children throughout the Panhandle for 18 years. In 2004, she moved to Pensacola as a pediatric cardiologist for Nemours Children’s Health, where she was named Chief Medical Officer in 2008. “I wanted to move to a community that could offer a more balanced life for my family,” says Dr. Mehta. What drew her particularly to Nemours was its unwavering dedication to pediatric care. “It was important to me to be in a system that is completely focused on children. I’ve been in hospitals where you’re fighting for the resources you need to provide the best possible […]

ARTICLES RELATED TO: Cardiology

ARTICLES RELATED TO:
Cardiology