Connecticut Children's Blog

Since he was a little kid, John Kostal dreamed of flying. At 21 years old, he was on the verge of achieving it as part of the United States Air Force. Then he got the bad news. After years of working toward a coveted pilot’s slot, his medical exams had detected a lingering heart problem… […]

It was Xavier Crane’s first soccer game after open heart surgery — but most of the people in the stands had no clue. Neither did the opposing team. He was playing better than ever. Xavier’s mom, Beth, was another story. She’d enlisted Xavier’s sister to come with her for moral support. Every time Xavier was […]

By Donna M. Pacicca, MD and Raymond P. Lorenzoni, III, MD All parents of aspiring athletes think about their child’s safety—it’s only natural. But when events like what happened to Buffalo Bills’ Damar Hamlin take over the headlines, we can’t help but ask questions. Why did this football player’s heart stop on the field at […]

In September 2019, Ellen and Jon Lindblom traveled to China to bring home the newest member of their family — Ayla, then a shy 6-year-old. They carried a letter from Connecticut Children’s Felice Heller, MD, urging the agency to expedite the adoption so Ayla could get immediate medical care. Not three months later, China shut […]

In 2019, a very pregnant Kristina Gisonde studied two dots on her latest ultrasound. The dots represented her baby’s kidneys, and they were different sizes – not a good sign. Her doctor recommended that, soon after birth, they see a specialist at Connecticut Children’s. Kristina and husband Matt had just moved to Fairfield County with […]

For many babies, care begins during pregnancy. If your developing baby might be at risk of a heart condition, you’ll see a fetal cardiologist. These experts use special technology called a fetal echocardiogram to detect heart problems in utero – and begin important care and planning right away. Connecticut Children’s leads pregnant women through this […]

By Shailendra Upadhyay, MD, CEPS, FHRS and Jennifer Zarrilli, MS, RD At Connecticut Children’s we focus on heart health and nutrition every day!   Dr. Shailendra Upadhyay, pediatric cardiologist and Jennifer Zarrilli, pediatric nutritionist, share five fun and educational ideas to engage the whole family in making excellent, heart-healthy choices. Want more articles like this […]

To solve a life-threatening heart defect, Ellis Schwartz-Mosca’s care team at Connecticut Children’s had to think big – by thinking small. On Oct. 27, Connecticut Children’s pediatric cardiac surgeons successfully implanted the world’s tiniest mechanical heart valve into Ellis’ heart. He was just 2 months old, and weighed only 7 pounds 9 ounces. Until recently, […]

A week after baby Kikiolaoluwa was born, her doctors in Nigeria found a hole in her heart. At first, they told Kiki’s parents – mom Moninuola and dad Oladapo – to wait and see if the hole closed on its own. But several months later, everything was worse. Kiki was losing weight. She was often […]

Up to three out of four kids will have a heart murmur at some point in childhood, but in most cases, it’s nothing to worry about. To explain more, Connecticut Children’s pediatric cardiologist (and American Heart Association leader!) Seth Lapuk, MD, joins the blog. 1. Most heart murmurs are normal and caused by normal blood […]