title: Significant motor improvement in an infant with congenital heart disease and a rolandic stroke: The impact of early intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report the impact of early motor intervention in an infant with congenital heart disease (CHD) and a stroke.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A 35-week newborn with a complex CHD and a normal MRI presented with early motor developmental delay at 2 months. She began an intervention program, which included biweekly motor developmental therapy with a physiotherapist, parental education, and daily home exercises. At 4 months, she underwent cardiac surgery. Following surgery, she was diagnosed with a stroke involving the right sylvian artery territory. She continued her intensive intervention program. The 12-month assessment revealed an evident gain of motor function. Despite MRI evidence of a chronic infarct involving the primary motor cortex, the child had normal motor functions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case report supports the positive impact of early intervention in infants with CHD and its potential effect on enhancing neuroplasticity, even in children with cerebro-vascular accidents involving areas of motor function.
authors.affiliation: a CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, University of Montreal , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gallagher
authors.affiliation: b Clinique Investigation Neuro-Cardiaque (CINC), CHU Sainte-Justine , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Lynn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dagenais
authors.affiliation: b Clinique Investigation Neuro-Cardiaque (CINC), CHU Sainte-Justine , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Amélie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doussau
authors.affiliation: c Department of Radiology , CHU Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Décarie
authors.affiliation: b Clinique Investigation Neuro-Cardiaque (CINC), CHU Sainte-Justine , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Materassi
authors.affiliation: b Clinique Investigation Neuro-Cardiaque (CINC), CHU Sainte-Justine , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gagnon
authors.affiliation: b Clinique Investigation Neuro-Cardiaque (CINC), CHU Sainte-Justine , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Joelle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prud'homme
authors.affiliation: b Clinique Investigation Neuro-Cardiaque (CINC), CHU Sainte-Justine , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Suzanne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vobecky
authors.affiliation: b Clinique Investigation Neuro-Cardiaque (CINC), CHU Sainte-Justine , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Poirier
authors.affiliation: a CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, University of Montreal , Montréal , Canada.|b Clinique Investigation Neuro-Cardiaque (CINC), CHU Sainte-Justine , Montréal , Canada.
authors.forename: Lionel
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Carmant
mesh_terms: D061345:Early Medical Intervention / Q000379:methods*; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D020521:Stroke / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Congenital heart disease (CHD); early intervention; motor; neuroplasticity; stroke