Finding out your child has congenital heart disease, commonly called a congenital “heart defect,” can be frightening. You’re probably worried, stressed, and filled with questions about what the diagnosis really means. Nemours’ top-notch pediatric cardiologists will help ease your concerns and give you the congenital heart defect answers you need.
Congenital heart disease is actually fairly common. In fact, more than 35,000 babies are born with a heart defect each year in the United States. Most (about two-thirds of) children with heart disease have a “congenital” heart defect, when a baby is born with a heart problem because the heart didn’t develop normally or completely in the early weeks of pregnancy. Other children may have something called an “acquired” heart condition, when a heart problem develops at some point between infancy and adolescence.
We Can Help
If your child was born with a heart defect, a lot can be done to improve and often completely repair kids’ hearts at any age. Thanks to advanced technology and our expert cardiology teams at Nemours, your child — even a newborn only hours old — can be quickly detected and treated right when it matters the most. You can count on our experts to give you an accurate, swift diagnosis and advanced treatment.
We’ve assembled some of the country’s very best pediatric cardiac expertise and technology, and we specialize in early detection and repair, so your child will have the very best possible chance for a healthy future.
Understanding Congenital Heart Defects
When your child has a heart condition, learning as much as you can about the problem can help make things much less stressful and scary for you, your child, and your whole family. Understanding what the defect can help you talk to your child about what it all means and what to expect from treatment. Plus, the more you know, the more informed you can be to make educated decisions about — and be a better advocate for — your child’s health care.
Get more information and see animations about:
- Aortic Stenosis
- Atrial Septal Defects
- Coarctation of the Aorta
- Complete Common Atrioventricular Canal Defect
- Ebstein's Anomaly
- Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
- Interrupted Aortic Arch
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
- Pulmonary Artery Sling
- Pulmonary Stenosis
- Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
- Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return
- Transposition of the Great Arteries
- Tricuspid Atresia
- Truncus Arteriosus
- Ventricular Septal Defects
Newtown Square
Nemours duPont Pediatrics, Newtown Square
Main Line Health Center
3855 West Chester Pike,
Suite 280
Newtown Square, PA 19073
» Get Map & Directions
Phone: (610) 557-4800
Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
» Learn More About This Location
- photo ID
- medical and pharmacy insurance cards
- preferred pharmacy name and phone number
- names and dosage of all medications, including over-the-counter medication, your child is currently taking
- guardianship and custody papers, if a legal guardian rather than a parent accompanies your child
New Patients
Bring these forms for your first appointment:
Returning Patients
- Patient Presents without Legal Guardian (PDF)
Note: A parent or legal guardian must be with a child for a first visit.
New Patient Forms
Returning Patient Forms
- Patient Presents without Legal Guardian (PDF)
Note: A parent or legal guardian must be with a child for a first visit.
Resources for Patients & Families
- Insurance We Accept: See accepted insurance, listed by location
- Pay Your Bill: Use online bill pay or send by mail
- Financial Assistance: Help with your child's health care expenses
- MyNemours: Access your child’s medical record online
Our pediatric cardiologists at Nemours duPont Pediatrics, Newtown Square, (located in the Main Line Health Center) are experts in diagnosing and treating congenital heart defects.
We provide cardiac evaluations and an extensive array of outpatient services to babies, kids, teens, and expectant mothers.
The experienced, caring, board-certified pediatric cardiologists from the Nemours Cardiac Center at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children come here to our office to make it easier and more convenient for you to get Nemours’ quality of care near you. And duPont Hospital for Children was ranked among the nation’s best in pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery by U.S. News & World Report — so you know you’re getting some of the best pediatric cardiac care available.
Our Pediatric Heart Care
Children are commonly referred to our office for evaluation of:
- heart murmurs
- chest pain
- fast heartbeat
- palpitations (irregular heartbeat)
- cyanosis (blue coloration)
- fainting
We also provide follow-up evaluation for children with known pediatric heart problems and for kids who’ve had heart surgery or heart transplantation. If your child needs tests (such as an electrocardiogram or an echocardiogram) they’ll be performed at the time of the visit and we’ll give you the results immediately after these tests are completed. When appropriate, we offer specialized remote monitoring, so we can monitor your child’s heart rhythm from your home.
If your child needs further testing and/or treatment, we’ll refer you to either the Nemours Cardiac Center at the duPont Hospital for Children or another recommended health care provider nearby.
Working as a team, we make sure you have a complete understanding of your child’s condition, treatment options, and what to expect every step of the way.
Getting an Early Start
You may know that most children with heart conditions are born with congenital heart defects. But did you know that the sooner your child can get diagnosed and treated, the better? You can count on our pediatric cardiology experts to give you an accurate, swift diagnosis. Our team will recommend treatment, too — from innovative, non-surgical catheter procedures in some instances to surgery for more complex cases.
Understanding Congenital Heart Defects
When your child has a heart condition, learning as much as you can about the problem can help make things much less stressful and scary — for you, your child, and your whole family. Understanding what the defect can help you talk to your child about what it all means and what to expect from treatment. Plus, the more you know, the more informed you can be to make educated decisions about — and be a better advocate for — your child’s health care.
Get more information and see animations about:
- Aortic Stenosis
- Atrial Septal Defects
- Coarctation of the Aorta
- Complete Common Atrioventricular Canal Defect
- Ebstein's Anomaly
- Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome
- Interrupted Aortic Arch
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA)
- Pulmonary Artery Sling
- Pulmonary Stenosis
- Tetralogy of Fallot (TOF)
- Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return
- Transposition of the Great Arteries
- Tricuspid Atresia
- Truncus Arteriosus
- Ventricular Septal Defects
Get Started Today
To get your little one started on the road to a healthy future, please call us for an appointment at (610) 557-4800.
Learn more about Nemours heart care and the various tests and treatments your child’s cardiologist may order:
