Pediatric Exercise and Sports Cardiology Program
It can be challenging for children with heart disease to know how to exercise safely. Our expert team helps young people with all kinds of heart disease develop safe and healthy exercise habits. Our goal is to empower your child to participate in physical activity and exercise that improves their heart health, motor skills and mindset to boost their physical and mental fitness.
Our care at Children's Health℠ often begins with an evaluation and exercise testing to assess your child's current fitness level. This information helps our exercise cardiologist work with your child on an exercise training plan that can best help them. This plan may include the Cardiac Fitness Program, the only one of its kind in Texas. This program offers medically supervised exercise training that helps your child gain the skills they need for safe, healthy and fun exercise.
At the Pediatric Exercise and Sports Cardiology Program, we work with children age 8 and older who have any kind of heart condition. Our care is especially helpful for children who are preparing for or recovering from a minimally invasive heart procedure or heart surgery – even after a heart transplant. The program can benefit children who:
Need more physical activity and exercise
Have physical challenges due to long-term illness
Need education and confidence-building for safe, effective exercise
Coordinated care from a multispecialty team of experts
Your child will work with experts in pediatric cardiology, sports cardiology, exercise testing and training, sports performance, occupational and physical therapy, psychology, social work and more. We evaluate your child’s heart health, fitness levels, motor skills and mental skills to understand the factors that contribute to your child’s ability to develop healthy exercise habits.
We then tailor a care plan for your child’s unique needs to help them gain the many social, emotional and physical benefits of exercise. We also work with your child’s primary cardiologist to keep them informed of your child’s test results and progress with their exercise plan.
Cardiac Fitness Program designed for children and teens
The Cardiac Fitness Program’s exercise sessions provide training in stamina, strength and flexibility. We integrate fun, game-based activities including running through obstacle courses, shooting hoops and juggling on a balance ball. These activities help children and teens improve their fitness and motor skills, including hand-eye coordination. We aim for your child to have fun during these sessions while boosting their confidence in similar activities at home, school or afterschool programs.
We also help children build a positive outlook by integrating mental skills into these activities. For example, we teach relaxation techniques, practice a growth mindset, grow self-confidence and build resilience. We also help them learn how to set and work toward goals to empower them in building exercise habits that last beyond the Cardiac Fitness Program. Our goal is to help our heart heroes grow their superpowers and develop fitness for life.
Support for your child as they grow up
Feeling strong and healthy in your body is a lifelong journey – and our team can continue to support your child as they grow up. If your child’s heart condition changes, we can reevaluate them to decide whether to adjust their exercise habits.
Coordinated care from a multispecialty team of experts
Your child will work with experts in pediatric cardiology, sports cardiology, exercise testing and training, sports performance, occupational and physical therapy, psychology, social work and more. We evaluate your child’s heart health, fitness levels, motor skills and mental skills to understand the factors that contribute to your child’s ability to develop healthy exercise habits.
We then tailor a care plan for your child’s unique needs to help them gain the many social, emotional and physical benefits of exercise. We also work with your child’s primary cardiologist to keep them informed of your child’s test results and progress with their exercise plan.
Cardiac Fitness Program designed for children and teens
The Cardiac Fitness Program’s exercise sessions provide training in stamina, strength and flexibility. We integrate fun, game-based activities including running through obstacle courses, shooting hoops and juggling on a balance ball. These activities help children and teens improve their fitness and motor skills, including hand-eye coordination. We aim for your child to have fun during these sessions while boosting their confidence in similar activities at home, school or afterschool programs.
We also help children build a positive outlook by integrating mental skills into these activities. For example, we teach relaxation techniques, practice a growth mindset, grow self-confidence and build resilience. We also help them learn how to set and work toward goals to empower them in building exercise habits that last beyond the Cardiac Fitness Program. Our goal is to help our heart heroes grow their superpowers and develop fitness for life.
Support for your child as they grow up
Feeling strong and healthy in your body is a lifelong journey – and our team can continue to support your child as they grow up. If your child’s heart condition changes, we can reevaluate them to decide whether to adjust their exercise habits.
Meet the care team
Katherine Hansen, MDPediatric Cardiologist- AGAngel GomezTeam Lead
- BHBryce HarrisonExercise Physiologist
- SLSandy LimonesAdministrative Assistant
Sara OvandipourSenior Exercise Physiologist- JPJoshua PakExercise Physiologist
