The Heart Center at Children's Memorial Hospital

Specialized Programs

Autonomic dysfunction

Pediatric Cardiology Divison Head Barbara J. Deal, MD, leads the cardiac teams caring for children with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) and syncope.

Watch Dr. Deal explain how POTS disturbs the body's autonomic nervous system. Launch ABC 7 story

Cardiomyopathy

Kawasaki disease

In collaboration with Stanford T. Shulman, MD, and the Division of Infectious Diseases, home to an internationally known center for Kawasaki disease, Heart Center specialist Elfriede Pahl, MD, cares for children with Kawasaki disease. Damage to coronary arteries — the vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle — can occur with Kawasaki disease. If not treated, as many as one in five children who have Kawasaki disease may develop heart problems.

Marfan syndrome

Pediatric cardiologist Luciana T. Young, MD, in collaboration with pediatric geneticist Barbara K. Burton, MD, leads the team caring for children with connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome. Working closely with pediatric radiologists for interpretation of magnetic resonance angiograms (MRAs), as well as pediatric specialists in the divisions of orthopaedic surgery and ophthalmology, the team sees about 200 patients each year, and is currently offering access to a unique National Institues of Health (NIH) clinical trial. These same caregivers treat children diagnosed with Loeys-Dietz syndrome, Ehler's-Danlos syndrome and MASS syndrome.

Preventive cardiology

Children with high cholesterol are more likely to develop heart disease as adults. For this reason, all children should be screened for high cholesterol at least once between the ages 9 and 11 years, and again between 17 and 21 years of age, according to the new guidelines sponsored by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. Irwin Benuck, MD, PhD, Division Head of Community-based Primary Care Pediatrics, was on the national expert panel that issued the guidelines after reviewing available evidence. The new recommendations were also endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- Dr. Benuck sees patients in Lincoln Park and Evanston at risk for coronary artery disease, including those who are genetically predisposed to hypercholesterolemia or hypertriglyceridemia.
- Kendra Ward, MD, (Arlington Heights) works with patients 2 years and older in preventive cardiology. Typically, patients are overweight or obese, have a significant family history of hypercholesterolemia, or early coronary artery disease. Evaluations include an ECG, an echocardiogram and laboratory testing. Exercise stress testing is available on site, as well as routine weight checks and blood pressure measurements. The initial exam includes baseline interviews to assess diet and exercise habits and attitudes.
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