Pediatric cardiology cares for heart conditions in babies, children and teenagers. Most are present from birth, such as holes between the heart chambers, narrowed valves or abnormally connected vessels. Others, such as rheumatic heart disease or infections of the heart, develop later in childhood. Many defects are mild, and some close on their own.

Parents may notice rapid breathing, poor feeding, slow weight gain, sweating during feeds, a bluish colour of lips or tiredness during play. A heart murmur picked up at a routine check is common in children and is often harmless, yet it needs assessment. Patients seeking cardiovascular care in Mumbai for a child are examined by a doctor trained in children's heart disease, and echocardiography is usually the key test.

Treatment depends on the defect. Some children need only observation, some need medicines, and others need a catheter procedure or surgery. Serious defects may need action in the first weeks of life, with care in the neonatal or paediatric intensive care unit. Parents are told what to expect and how to recognise warning signs at home.

Pediatric cardiology services include:

• Murmur and Symptom Assessment: Examination, ECG and echocardiography to find out whether a murmur is harmless or a sign of a heart defect, with clear reassurance for the family when no treatment is needed and a plan when treatment is required.
• Treatment of Holes in the Heart: Monitoring of small defects that may close by themselves and closure by device or surgery for larger ones, at a time chosen to protect the lungs and allow normal growth.
• Newborn Heart Care: Early diagnosis and stabilisation of babies with serious defects, with planning of timely surgery, support in intensive care and guidance for parents on feeding, weight gain and infection prevention.
• Long-Term Follow-Up: Regular review after repair or treatment, with advice on activity, school, dental hygiene and infection prevention, and a smooth path to adult heart care as the child grows into adulthood.