Pediatric Cardiology
Serving the heart-care needs of infants, children and adolescents
Mercy Pediatric Cardiology Clinic is dedicated to serving the heart-care needs of infants, children and adolescents, as well as the concerns of their families.
Our practice is exclusively geared toward children, from our kid-friendly exam rooms to our experienced staff. Providing the highest level of pediatric cardiology care for your child is our primary concern.
Echocardiogram Instructions
If your child is scheduled to have an echocardiogram (echo) prior to his or her office visit, please consider the following helpful tips:
- Bring your child’s favorite DVD to play during the exam.
- Toddlers and infants may sleep through testing, so it can be helpful to avoid napping prior to the exam.
- Infants may be occupied by bottle feeding during the exam, so please try to avoid feeding prior to testing.
- Please avoid scheduling your child’s immunizations on the same day as the echo. Children often do not feel well following injections, which can make testing difficult.
If your child’s echocardiogram is completed outside of our office or Mercy Medical Center, please bring a copy of the echocardiogram to your child’s appointment. Chest X-rays, when needed, must be completed two days before the scheduled appointment. If the X-ray is not completed by Mercy Medical Center, RCI or UnityPoint, please bring the X-ray with you to your child’s appointment.
If you are unable to complete the chest X-ray two days prior to the appointment, please call (319) 398-6650 to reschedule. We cannot see your child without access to a completed chest X-ray.
Clinic Policies
To make the best use of your time when you are here, we ask that you consider the following polices in advance of your visit:
- Only two guests will be allowed to accompany the patient back to the exam room; please plan accordingly.
- In the instance that someone other than a child’s biological parent will be accompanying them, we will need authorization from the parent(s) or proof of guardianship at the time of the appointment.
- Patients under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
You will receive a reminder phone call prior to the scheduled appointment.
Concerns After Office Hours
If you have a concern about your child’s cardiac condition after hours, please call (319) 398-6650. If your child is having a non-cardiac issue, please contact your family physician or pediatrician.
Pediatric Cardiology Educational Videos
A Little Warrior's Big Battle
Hayley Ballew had a feeling something wasn't right as she nursed her newborn son, Carter, in September 2016. I could tell he was latching really well, but he had to let off to take a breath," the Marion mother of two remembers. Hayley and her husband, Eric, noticed Carter's head bobbed slightly with each breath and his chest retracted in unusual places. Read their story on page 6 (PDF).
Update (Aug. 25, 2022): Carter is now a very active five-year-old who participates in wrestling, soccer, football, swimming and T-ball. He has had a few sicknesses as he’s grown up, but ultimately, his health has improved. See how Carter is doing now.
Mercy Pediatric Cardiology Clinic earns pediatric echocardiography accreditation
Mercy Pediatric Cardiology Clinic has been granted a three-year term of accreditation by the Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) in Echocardiography in the area of Pediatric Transthoracic Echocardiography. Accreditation by the IAC indicates that Mercy Pediatric Cardiology Clinic has undergone an intensive application and review process and is compliant with published standards, thus demonstrating a commitment to quality patient care in echocardiography. Read more.
