CONCLUSIONS: DDs in young children with CHD are both common and
dynamic. Providers should encourage longitudinal surveillance for children
with CHD because exposure to risk and prevalence of DD change
Children with congenital heart disease
(CHD) are at risk for developmental
delays (DDs).1–4 A characteristic pattern
of a high prevalence of low-severity or
combined disabilities in the areas of visual
motor integration, language, motor
skills, attention, executive function, and
behavior has been described in multiple
research studies.5–7 Although many
studies have reported outcomes near 1
year of age, no previous studies have
obtained serial measures by using
a consistent developmental assessment
tool in young children throughout the
first 3 years of life. Longitudinal research
is needed to understand the
emergence of DD over time in order to
improve developmental outcomes in
children with CHD.