Our paediatricians will have team-based discussions involving appropriate specialists to decide on a suitable treatment option for your child.
Our close collaboration with the Adult Congenital and Structural Heart Disease programme provides paediatric patients and their families with a smoother transition into lifelong cardiac care. Your child's patient information will be shared with our specialists at the
National University Heart Centre Singapore for his or her treatment for Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD).
Outpatient Services
An outpatient consultation includes a complete cardiac evaluation by a paediatric cardiologist. Most children are referred to us due to a heart murmur, palpitations, chest pain or fainting.
Our diagnostic capability is aided by a full range of non-invasive cardiac investigations including:
- Echocardiography (Transthoracic and Transesophageal)
- 12-lead Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Continuous ambulatory 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring
- Exercise stress test
- Cardiopulmonary exercise testing
- 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM)
There may be a need for sedation for very young kids who are unable to keep still for the investigations.
Fetal Heart Programme
The Fetal Heart Programme provides outpatient fetal echocardiograms (ultrasounds of the fetus's heart) to evaluate for possible abnormalities. Pregnant women with certain risk factors or an abnormal fetal scan may be referred to us by their obstetrician.
Fetal echocardiograms are optimally performed between 18 and 22 weeks of gestation. A paediatrician specialising in fetal cardiology will then advise on the results and potential management options. If an abnormality is found, the pregnant woman may need to return for repeat evaluations. A consultation with one of our cardiothoracic surgeons specialising in paediatrics may also be recommended to discuss potential surgical options.
Inpatient Services
Our Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and High Dependency unit are designed and staffed to care for infants and children during the most intense period of their treatment. We offer extra-corporeal circulatory support in the form of Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) therapy for end stage acute heart and respiratory failure.
Our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit manages premature and full term babies with congenital heart disease after birth and in the pre- and post-operative period.
Paediatric Cardiac Catheterisation
Cardiac catheterisation is a minimally invasive procedure that entails inserting a catheter, which is a thin and flexible tube, through a vein or artery that is then guided to the heart. Paediatric cardiologists sometimes perform this procedure to diagnose the type of heart defect and its severity. This technique also enables us to repair certain heart conditions that might otherwise have required surgery.
Some of the procedures we perform include:
- Atrial Septal Defect (ASD) Device Closure
- Angioplasty
- Balloon Atrial Septostomy
- Balloon Valvuloplasty of the Aortic and Pulmonary Valves
- Balloon Arterioplasty of Coarctation of Aorta or Distal Pulmonary Artery Stenosis (narrowing)
- Diagnostic Catheterisation
- Intravascular Stent Placement
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus Device or Coil Closure
- Percutaneous Valve Replacement
- Pulmonary Artery Dilation and Stent Placement
Cardiac Radiologic Imaging Services
Cardiac Radiologic Imaging Services involve using various procedures such as Computed Tomography (CT) scan, Nuclear Cardiology or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to capture an image of your heart.
Ancillary Services
We pay special attention to the growth and development of our patients including physical, social and psychological aspects. We work closely with paediatricians of different specialties, psychologists specialising in speech therapy or occupational therapy, and allied health professionals from other units such as the
Paediatric Feeding and Nutrition Clinic. This multidisciplinary approach ensures your child receives holistic care.
Many of our adolescent patients are active members of Project Dreamcatchers and are supported by the NUHkids Fund.
Conditions We Treat