Pediatric Cardiology Clinic
Boone Health works in conjunction with St. Louis Children’s Hospital to offer a pediatric cardiology clinic. The clinic is operated by Charles Canter, MD.
Dr. Canter is a pediatric cardiologist. He specializes in pediatric heart failure, cardiomyopathy, and heart transplantation. Dr. Canter is happy to provide a second opinion on any heart disease diagnosis or heart disease treatment recommendation your child has been given. Dr. Canter is consistently recognized in "The Best Doctors in America" list.
Specialized services include:
Chest X-ray
A chest X-ray gives the cardiologist a picture of the size and shape of your child’s heart and indicates the presence or absence of fluid in the lungs. Different views are common, and may include the front and side of the child, standing or lying down.
Electrocardiogram
An electrocardiogram (EKG) measures electrical activity in the heart, the heart’s rate and rhythm, any damage to the heart muscle and any unusual events in the conduction system. The test takes about 15 minutes and requires only that several wired patches be placed on the chest, arms and legs.
Echocardiography
Echocardiography enables the cardiologist to see details of the heart structure from outside the body and helps determine the need for further evaluation or treatment.
What to expect
The test will last about 30 to 45 minutes. During this test, all the child will feel is the transducer touching his or her chest. A transducer is a flat-bottomed instrument, about six-inches long, that moves smoothly along the chest. A clear gel will be applied to the chest to help the transducer move smoothly. Repetitive pulses of ultrasound waves, silent to our ears, are delivered to the heart. Between these pulses, the returning echoes are gathered and recorded.
Holter Monitor
A Holter monitor measures heart rate and rhythm for a 12- to 24-hour period. It is commonly worn by a patient before and after cardiac surgery, so the doctor can compare before and after information on the heart’s electrical activity.
What to expect
A Holter monitor is a box carried on a shoulder strap with wires that are painlessly connected to the chest with patches. The patient’s nurse or family keeps a diary of the child’s activities, such as walking, eating and crying, and the time they occur. The doctor uses this information to see how the activities affect heart rate and rhythms.
At the initial visit, the patient can expect:
- A detailed medical family history.
- A physical examination.
- A family interview.
- A diagnostic electrocardiogram (EKG) and Echocardiogram, chest x-ray, lab work (if indicated).
Follow-up visits will consist of:
- Evaluation and further treatment based on patient need.
- Additional medical interventions and pharmaceutical interventions, if needed.
Call 573-815-8150 to schedule an appointment for the Pediatric Cardiology Clinic. Please remember that this is a family-oriented clinic and parents or legal guardian will be expected to attend the clinic visits. Parents need to bring the results of their child’s serum lipid profile to the first clinic visit.