Infants with complex congenital heart diseases show poor short-term memory in the mobile paradigm at 3 months of age.
The purpose of this study was to examine learning, short-term memory and general development including cognitive, motor, and language domains in infants with Complex Congenital Heart Defects (CCDH). Ten infants with CCHD (4 males, 6 females) and 14 infants with typical development (TD) were examined at 3 months of age. The mobile paradigm, where an infant's leg is tethered to an overhead mobile, was used to evaluate learning and short-term memory. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development 3rd edition (Bayley-III) was used to evaluate general development in cognitive, motor, and language domains. Infants with CCHD and infants with TD both showed learning with significant increase in kicking rate (p<0.001) across periods of the mobile paradigm, but only infants with TD demonstrated short-term memory (p=0.017) in the mobile paradigm. There were no differences on cognitive, motor, and language development between infants with CCHD and infants with TD on the Bayley-III. Early assessment is necessary to guide targeted treatment in infants with CCHD. One-time assessment may fail to detect potential cognitive impairments during early infancy in infants with CCHD. Supportive intervention programs for infants with CCHD that focuses on enhancing short-term memory are recommended.
The Ohio State University, Program in Heath and Rehabilitation Sciences, United States.
Chao-Ying
CY
Chen
Nationwide Children's Hospital, The Heart Center, United States.
Tondi
T
Harrison
The Ohio State University, Division of Physical Therapy, 453W. 10th Avenue, Columbus, OH 43214, United States. Electronic address: jill.heathcock@osumc.edu.
Jill
J
Heathcock
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018730:Infant Behavior / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology*; D007804:Language Development; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*
Complex congenital heart defects; Development; Learning; Motor; Short-term memory