Julian G. Ayer is a paediatric cardiologist based in Westmead, NSW. You’ll find the practice on the corner of Hawkesbury Road and Hainsworth Street in Westmead. His work is all about helping kids with heart conditions, from the early days of life through to school age.
Paediatric heart care can be very different from adult care. Children’s hearts are still growing, and symptoms can change over time. Julian looks after families when there are concerns about congenital heart disease, which means the heart problem is there from birth. In many cases, this is picked up during pregnancy scans, newborn checks, or when a child is having trouble with feeds, breathing, low energy, or poor growth.
He also supports children with more complex heart conditions. This can include things like problems with the heart valves, abnormal blood flow between chambers, and changes to the big blood vessels leaving the heart. Sometimes the heart condition affects how the lungs work as well, so care often needs to cover both breathing and circulation in a careful, step by step way.
Some kids are referred because of specific diagnoses such as atrioventricular septal defect, tetralogy of Fallot, transposition of the great arteries, or coarctation of the aorta. Others may be dealing with valve issues like bicuspid aortic valve, tricuspid problems, or aortic regurgitation. At times, children also have conditions that come with extra challenges, including lung or airway problems, and Julian helps make sense of what the heart is doing and how it may be linked.
Not every heart issue is only about the heart muscle. Over time, he may also help with cardiomyopathy, heart rhythm concerns, or where heart strain shows up alongside other health needs. And for some children, the bigger picture matters too, such as when a child has a learning or development condition like cerebral palsy, or when there are breathing symptoms like asthma or bronchitis happening at the same time.
Julian’s focus is calm and practical care for children and their carers. He works to explain what’s going on in plain language, talk through options, and guide the next steps with the child’s health and safety front of mind. Where relevant, he can also coordinate with other services so the plan fits around the whole family.
