Psychoeducational Assessment of Children with Congenital Heart Disease Undergoing Cardiac Surgery

Abstract

The physical and psychological development of 48 children (ages 4 to 12) with congenital heart disease who had average intelligence were examined to evaluate their educational performance. Categorization by diagnosis and surgical procedure placed 25 children in Group 1 with acyanotic, correctible cardiac defects and 23 in Group 2 with cyanotic, palliative defects. We found that the children were at risk for learning problems regardless of the severity of the cardiac defect; however, risk factors increased with the severity of the defect. Gross and fine motor and visual motor integration skills were comparable to the norm group for Group 1, but Group 2 exhibited motor delays. When compared by their teachers to their typical peers at school, overall functioning for Group 1 was within the average range, but Group 2 was below average. However, teachers also stated that both groups were more likely than average to have identified learning disabilities and problems with socialization. For the pediatrician, as well as the educator, there needs to be recognition that children with congenital heart disease can have significant school problems even when the operation is successful.