Executive function deficits in congenital heart surgical patients: prevalence and timing of presentation.

Background: Congenital heart patients undergoing congenital heart surgery in the first year of life are at high risk of having a neurodevelopmental disorder. The most common difficulties are related to executive functioning. The following questions were assessed in the current project: Are patients having congenital heart surgery after one year of life at lower risk for neurodevelopmental disorders? At what age do executive function deficits manifest?

Methods: We evaluated executive function in four groups of congenital heart patients who had undergone congenital heart surgery.