What is an Echocardiogram (Echo)?

An echocardiogram, often called an Echo, is a safe and painless ultrasound of the heart. Unlike X-rays, it does not use radiation. Instead, gentle sound waves are sent to your child’s heart using a small camera. These sound waves bounce back and are turned into moving pictures of the heart on our screen.

This test helps our cardiologists see how your child’s heart is working.

What to Expect During the Procedure

Getting Ready

Your child will need to remove their shirt so we can see the chest area.
Female patients are given a gown for privacy, worn with the opening at the front.
We cover the chest with a towel or blanket for comfort.

Electrodes (Heart Stickers)

Small sticky patches called electrodes are placed on the chest, arms, and/or legs.
Wires are attached to these patches to monitor heart rate.
The stickers are gentle — sticky enough to stay on, but easy to remove without pain.

The Echo Camera (Probe)

We use a small handheld camera called a probe, connected to our ultrasound machine.
A warm, water-based gel (kept at body temperature, about 37°C) is applied to the chest.
The gel helps the probe glide smoothly and ensures clear pictures.
The gel is baby-blue, odorless, and safe for all children.

Taking the Pictures

We take images from four different areas:

Belly – sometimes your child will bend their knees to relax the muscles.
Chest (left side) – two sets of pictures are taken here.
Neck (under the chin) – we may ask your child to look up at a toy or video to help us capture these final images.

Your child may feel gentle pressure from the probe, but the test should not be painful.

Keeping Your Child Comfortable

We provide Netflix and Wi-Fi so your child can watch their favorite show during the test.
Parents are welcome to help distract or comfort their child.
The test usually takes about 30–45 minutes.

Once the pictures are complete, we wipe off the gel with soft towels or tissues.

Learn More

For a visual explanation, you can watch these helpful videos: