WHAT’S KNOWN ON THIS SUBJECT: Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at increased risk for poor growth. Several factors may play a role in poor growth, including feeding difficulties, increased caloric requirements, and the effects of cardiac lesions on growth regulation.
WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: In children with CHD, impaired growth as measured by weight, length, and head circumference occurs simultaneously rather than sequentially, supporting the theory that altered growth regulation likely plays an important role in the poor growth of children with CHD.