Neurodevelopmental evaluation strategies for children with congenital heart disease aged birth through 5 years: recommendations from the cardiac neurodevelopmental outcome collaborative.

This paper provides specific guidelines for the neurodevelopmental evaluation of children aged birth through 5 years with complex congenital heart disease. There is wide recognition that children with congenital heart disease are at high risk for neurodevelopmental impairments that are first apparent in infancy and often persist as children mature. Impairments among children with complex congenital heart disease cross developmental domains and affect multiple functional abilities.

Implementation of a routine developmental follow-up program for children with congenital heart disease: early results.

Objective: To describe the implementation of a routine developmental follow-up program for children with congenital heart disease, summarize the developmental outcomes of the first clinic visits of the referred patients, and determine what factors predict variability in early developmental outcomes.

Design: Infants with congenital heart disease who had cardiac surgery within the first 30 days of life, had a cyanotic lesion (with or without surgery) or were believed to be at risk for developmental delay due to comorbid conditions or perioperative complications such as seizures or stroke were referred to the program as part of standard clinical care. Patients were evaluated using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development-III.