Assessment of neurodevelopmental status using Development Assessment Scale for Indian Infants in children 6-24 months of age with congenital heart disease

Abstract

ABSTRACT Context: With improved awareness, early screening and diagnosis, and better postoperative care, the survival rate and life expectancy of congenital heart disease (CHD) population is on rise, and hence there is the uttermost need to study morbidities like neurodevelopment delay, which significantly affect quality of life in long term. Aim: Assessment of Neurodevelopmental Status Using Development Assessment Scale for Indian Infants (DASII) in children 6-24 months of age with CHD. Settings and Design: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional, hospital-based study, conducted in a tertiary care hospital of Central India. Subjects and Methods: The study included children 6–24 months of age with CHD confirmed by echocardiography. Their mental development quotient (DMeQ) and motor development quotient (DMoQ) was calculated using DASII. Developmental delay is defined as DQ <70% (<2 standard deviation) in either mental or motor domain. Statistical Analysis Used: Data entered in Excel spreadsheets and analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Results: Motor delay was found in 28% children and 26% children had mental delay (P = 0.0001). Among children with cyanotic CHD, both motor and mental development was seen in 80%, while in children with acyanotic CHD 18.8% children had motor delay and 16.5% children had mental delay (P = 0.0001). The mean DMoQ and mean DMeQ was significantly lower in the cyanotic group than in acyanotic group. The mean DMoQ and mean DMeQ was found to be significantly lower in the children with severe disease as compared to children with mild disease, as well as in the high-risk group as compared to low-risk group (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: We found high rates of motor and mental delay in children with cyanotic CHD, severe cardiac lesions, and high-risk category groups. Still, there is a need to find other associated factors, which can contribute to developmental delay, identified at the time of diagnosis through appropriate screening methods. Routine follow-up of these high-risk children with neurodevelopment assessment using DASII scale and early intervention will allow maximum growth and development of pediatric population with CHD and will have a positive impact on their quality of life.