Mike E Charles, MD Pediatric Cardiology in Neptune, NJ

I am dedicated to providing compassionate care to children of all ages with either congenital or acquired heart disease, and I am committed to making each visit comfortable, informative, and reassuring for the families. My clinical interests include congenital heart disease, single ventricle physiology, valve abnormalities, coronary abnormalities, and dysautonomia. I care for infants, children, and teens with conditions such as coronary artery anomalies, heart valve disease, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, tetralogy of Fallot, pulmonary vein stenosis, Kawasaki disease, syncope, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and rapid heartbeat, and I perform transthoracic echocardiograms, EKGs, and Holter monitoring to evaluate and follow my patients. Beyond the office, I am passionate about educating communities about CPR and AED use and their role in preventing sudden cardiac arrest.

Frequently Asked Questions

What conditions do you treat?

I treat a wide range of congenital and acquired heart conditions in infants, children and teens, including congenital heart disease, tetralogy of Fallot, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, coronary artery anomalies, heart valve disease and pulmonary vein stenosis. I also evaluate and manage Kawasaki disease, syncope (fainting), rapid heartbeat, hypertension and hyperlipidemia. I take the time to understand each child's needs and explain complex conditions in clear, understandable language, so families feel informed and involved in the decision making process.

Is my child's heart murmur serious?

Most heart murmurs in children are innocent, meaning they are not associated with any intra- or extra-cardiac lesions. My thorough evaluation includes a proper physical examination and additional testing, such as an echocardiogram, to help determine whether the murmur needs further evaluation.

How can we keep my child's heart healthy?

I encourage families to maintain a heart-healthy diet, stay active and make time for self-care. When it comes to changes at home, starting small is much easier to stick with one simple goal than to make drastic, complex changes all at once. For exercise, I recommend aerobic activity, including walking 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day

What should I expect at our first visit?

I take the time to understand your child's needs and to get a full picture of what brought you in. Depending on the reason for the visit, I may perform non-invasive testing the same day, such as an EKG, a transthoracic echocardiogram, or Holter monitoring. I will then walk you through what we find and keep you involved in every decision, so the visit feels comfortable, informative, and reassuring for your whole family.