Neurodevelopment Among Publicly Insured Children in the First 5 Years After Infant Heart Surgery

How prevalent are neurodevelopmental disorders and services within 5 years after infant heart surgery among publicly insured children?In this cohort study of 3147 children with an index surgery from 2016 to 2020, the 5-year cumulative prevalence rates of at least 1 neurodevelopmental diagnosis or service were 51.7% and 82.9%, respectively. Brief neurodevelopmental screening occurred in more than half of children, but few underwent psychological or neuropsychological (6.6%) or comprehensive developmental (8.5%) evaluation.In this study, neurodevelopmental diagnoses and services were common after infant heart surgery, but receipt of formal neurodevelopmental assessment was low, suggesting that improved methods are needed to implement society recommendations for universal evaluation in children at high risk.

Corresponding Author: Jane W. Newburger, MD, MPH, Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115 (jane.newburger@cardio.chboston.org).

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