New Children and Young People’s Cardiac Service at Spire London East Hospital
05 February 2019
Our Children and Young People’s Cardiac Service offers specialised cardiac outpatient care for babies, children and young people. It allows you to see a specialist and have the diagnostics (12 lead ECG and echocardiogram) needed in one visit to our hospital, as we offer this as a one-stop-service and an inclusive price*.
Our Children and Young People’s Cardiac Service is offered by two of our experienced Consultant Paediatricians, who have expertise in Paediatric Cardiology.
What is an Echocardiogram?
Echocardiogram, also known as ‘echo’ is one of the most frequently used scans for diagnosing heart problems. It’s a non-invasive, high-frequency ultrasound scan, which examines the structure and the function of the heart.
You will be able to stay with your child throughout the scan, which normally takes 15 to 30 minutes. They will need to lie on a bed next to the echo machine with their top clothes off. The doctor will put some gel on your child’s chest area and then use a probe to send and receive ultrasound waves to make a picture on their screen.
Although the doctor will try to make the atmosphere in the room as cosy and relaxed as possible, your child will need to ideally lie quiet and still (so good quality pictures can be taken), so it’s worth your practicing this at home before coming for your appointment. If your baby/ toddler needs an echocardiogram, you can bring a bottle of milk to comfort them or something for them to watch or play with.
Meet the team
Dr Julia Thomson is a Consultant Paediatrician who has been working in paediatrics since 1998, both in the Wessex health region and in north London. She is a general paediatrician which means she sees any child from birth up to 16 years with just about any medical problem. Dr Thomson has a specialist interest in paediatric and neonatal cardiology.
Dr Neeraj Jain is a Consultant Paediatrician with over 18 years of experience. He has specialist interest in Paediatric Cardiology and Neonatology. He deals with a wide range of paediatric conditions from new born up to 16 years.
Clinic times
Dr Julia Thomson
Wednesday: 9am – 11.30am
Saturday: 1pm – 3pm
Dr Neeraj Jain
Tuesday: 11am – 12pm
Friday: 5.30pm – 6.30pm
On the day of the scan
Your child doesn’t need to prepare for the scan. The scan is of your child’s chest area, so it would be helpful if they could wear loose clothes that they can easily take off or undo. Please note, we do not offer sedation for this procedure.
The doctor will give you the report straight away and will send a copy of the report to you and to your GP.
How to book an appointment for your child
When booking an appointment, please ask for the Cardiac Service with either Dr Julia Thomson or Dr Neeraj Jain. You can book an appointment on 020 8709 7817 or make an enquiry online.
If you’re using your private medical insurance, please contact our Appointments Team on 020 8709 7878. Please, bear in mind that cardiac assessments using private medical insurance cannot always be offered as one-stop-service.
*Although we’ll do our best to offer you an all-inclusive package price, every patient has individual needs, which will affect the price of the service. For further details, please speak to our Appointments Team.
For more information about our Children and Young People's Services, please visit our paediatric page or call our private patient team on 020 8709 7817.