EKG

Ask us about in-house heart screenings and schedule an appointment

Find a location

This service is not available at our Irvine Spectrum office, however, you can get care at one of our nearby locations.

In-house EKG services available at select locations

If your child needs heart testing, Coastal Kids has in-house electrocardiogram (EKG) services at select locations — allowing you to get expert heart care and reassurance in a child-friendly setting that you already know and trust.

In-house EKG services give us the ability to assess your child’s heart health without the need for outside referrals. This convenient access to EKG testing allows for fast evaluation and early identification of potential heart issues for your child, which is critical in ensuring timely care.

Testing by pediatric experts

All testing is performed by teams that specialize in pediatric care

Professional evaluation of results

Results are interpreted by your provider of record

Easy to schedule

Convenient scheduling within your child’s current medical home

Familiar faces

Get care here instead of traveling to unfamiliar cardiology centers

How EKGs evaluate your child’s heart

An electrocardiogram is one of the simplest and fastest tests used to detect abnormal heart rhythms, congenital heart defects, and other pediatric heart concerns.

During an EKG, electrodes (small patches that stick to your child’s skin) are placed on their chest, arms, and legs. The electrodes are connected to our EKG machine by lead wires, which record the electrical activity of your child’s heart — without sending any electricity into your child’s body.

All EKG testing is coordinated by your Coastal Kids care team, so pediatric specialists are always involved in your child’s heart care.

Could your child need an EKG?

Your child may need an EKG as part of pre-participation sports clearance, to assess their heart health before a surgical procedure, or to follow up on abnormal findings during a routine exam.

EKG testing can also help determine the cause of symptoms like:

Chest pain
Rapid or irregular
Shortness of breath

Dizziness
Fainting

If your child already has a congenital heart condition, EKGs are often used to track any changes in their heart activity.

When further cardiac care is needed

At Coastal Kids, we always take your child’s health to heart. All EKG testing results are carefully interpreted your own provider of record. If they determine that a higher level of cardiac care is needed, we will coordinate directly with pediatric cardiologists and other specialists to ensure continuity of care for your child and family.

A normal vs. abnormal EKG

How do we determine if your child has a normal electrocardiogram or an abnormal electrocardiogram? And what are the signs of an abnormal electrocardiogram? Coastal Kids has these answers for you and more.

A normal EKG shows a healthy and regular heartbeat with a consistent pattern of intervals (waves) between the beats. A child’s normal heart rate can range from 60 to 190 beats per minute, depending on their age.

An abnormal EKG finds irregularities in your child’s heart activity, such as beating too fast or too slow. Your child’s heart may also skip beats or have extra beats.

EKG testing is painless but powerful

After the electrodes are attached to your child’s chest, arms, and legs, which are then connected by wires to the EKG machine, your child can lie back and relax. Many children watch videos or listen to music to stay calm and still while the test is performed. Most EKG testing takes less than 10 minutes.

After the test is complete, the electrodes are removed. Your provider of record will then review the results to check for any abnormalities. Some are minor, while others can indicate conditions like arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, or congenital heart defects.