A New Look at Neurodevelopmental and Neuropsychological Outcome in Children with Congenital Heart Disease

ABSTRACT

New surgical techniques and advances in intensive care and medical treatment have significantly decreased mortality rates for children and adolescents with complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Survivors are at risk for neurodevelopmental and neuropsychological morbidity caused by both genetic and environmental risk factors, which causes a distinctive pattern of developmental and neuropsychology impairment characterized by mild cognitive impairment, executive functions impaired social interaction, and impairments in core communication skills, including pragmatic language, as well as attention, impulsive behavior, and impaired executive functions among children affected with congenital heart disease. In view of this, the present study reviews the neurodevelopmental and neuropsychological impairment with an objective of insisting the importance in developing and implementing a neuropsychological intervention program for children with congenital heart defect to retrain neuropsychological and neuro-developmental functions. With increased survival rates, the focus of clinical research in the pediatric cardiac population has paralleled the population shift and transitioned from short term surgical survival to the assessment of long- term morbidity