WIP 79 - Correlation of Access to Intervention to Neurocognitive Testing in Children with Congenital Heart Disease

Poster Number: WIP 79
Publication Number: WIP 79.747

Background: Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at increased risk for neurodevelopmental impairment, yet the degree of impairment has not been shown to consistently correlate with the severity of the heart defect or to early neurocognitive testing. The role of interventional services in the context of sociodemographic factors on early neurodevelopmental outcomes in this population has not been examined.

Objective: Our study aims to investigate whether performance on the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSID-III) in young children with CHD influenced enrollment in therapies and early educational programming. We will also determine associations between level of developmental functioning, access to interventions, and need for special education (SPED).

Design/Methods: This is a single-center retrospective observational study of children (N=216) with CHD who underwent cardiac surgery in the first year of life, and who had neurodevelopmental testing using the BSID-III between 17 to 36 months of age. This study was approved (with waiver of consent) by the IRB of Baylor College of Medicine. Clinical data (mortality categorization, hospital readmissions), sociodemographic information (maternal education, insurance, address with Child Opportunity Index correlation), therapies (Early Childhood Intervention versus private), organized programming (daycare, preschool, public programming such as Head Start), and access to SPED after kindergarten entry were obtained from the EMR. We will compare sociodemographics, receipt of intervention, and neurodevelopmental outcomes using BSID-III tertiles (normative mean 100+15 SD, and mild [ < 85] or severe impairment [ < 70]) per domain (cognitive, language, motor). Associations between primary outcome and characteristics will be performed using parametric and non-parametric statistical analyses with univariate and multivariate analysis of independently associated factors. Chart review completion by 12/31/23 with data analysis completed by 1/31/24 and full results by 4/1/24.