title: Motor training of sixty minutes once per week improves motor ability in children with congenital heart disease and retarded motor development: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Delay and impairment of motor development is reported in patients with congenital heart disease. This pilot study addressed the feasibility and effect of a low-dose motor training programme of 60 min once per week on motor ability in preschool children with congenital heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 14 children--including four girls, in the age group of 4-6 years--with various types of congenital heart disease performed the motor developmental test MOT 4–6 before and after 3 months of a playful exercise programme of 60 min once a week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At baseline, the motor quotient ranged from normal to slightly impaired (median 92.0; Quartile 1: 83.75; Quartile 3: 101.25). After intervention, motor quotient did not change significantly for the entire group (95.0 (88.0, 102.5); p50.141). However, in the subgroup of nine children with retarded motor development at baseline (motor quotient lower 100), seven children had an improved motor quotient after 3 months of intervention. In this subgroup, motor quotient increased significantly (p50.020) by 5%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, a short intervention programme of 60 min only once a week does not improve motor ability in all children with congenital heart disease. However, those with retarded motor development profit significantly from this low-dose intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Congenital Heart Disease, Deutsches Herzzentrum München, Germany. muellerjan@dhm.mhn.de
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Milka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pringsheim
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Engelhardt
authors.forename: Juliana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meixner
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Halle
authors.forename: Renate
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oberhoffer
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hess
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hager
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome