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Developmental language trajectories in children with critical CHD

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 March 2025

Alexa C. Escapita Open the ORCID record for Alexa C. Escapita [Opens in a new window] ,
Anna Caroline Gregg ,
Kelsey Lambou ,
Heather Watson ,
Lawrence Greiten ,
Brian Reemtsen ,
Elijah Bolin ,
Dala Zakaria  and
Tara L. Johnson Open the ORCID record for Tara L. Johnson [Opens in a new window]
Alexa C. Escapita
Affiliation:
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
Anna Caroline Gregg
Affiliation:
Arkansas Children’s Hospital Northwest, Springdale, AR, USA
Kelsey Lambou
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
Heather Watson
Affiliation:
The Heart Institute, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Little Rock, AR, USA
Lawrence Greiten
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
Brian Reemtsen
Affiliation:
Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
Elijah Bolin
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
Dala Zakaria
Affiliation:
Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Cardiology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
Tara L. Johnson*
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Corpus Christi, TX, USA
*
Corresponding author: Tara L. Johnson; Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Introduction:

Medical and surgical advancements have enabled a 95% survival rate for children with CHD. However, these survivors are disproportionately affected by neurodevelopmental disabilities. In particular, they have behavioural problems in toddlerhood. Because there is a known relationship between behavioural problems and early language delay, we hypothesise that children with critical CHD have early detectable language deficits. To test our hypothesis, we performed a retrospective study on a cohort of children with critical CHD to visualise their early language developmental trajectories.

Methods:

We identified a cohort of 27 children with two diagnoses: single ventricle physiology (19) and transposition of the great arteries (8). As part of their routine clinical care, all of these children had serial developmental evaluations with the language subsection of the Capute Scales. We visualised their developmental language trajectories as a function of chronologic age, and we used a univariate linear regression model to calculate diagnosis-specific expected developmental age equivalents.

Results:

In each group, language development is age-appropriate in infancy. Deviation from age-appropriate development is apparent by 18 months. This results in borderline-mild language delay by 30 months.

Discussion:

Using the Capute Scales, our team quantified early language development in infants and toddlers with critical CHD. Our identification of deceleration in skill acquisition reinforces the call for ongoing neurodevelopmental surveillance in these children. Understanding early language development will help clinicians provide informed anticipatory guidance to families of children with critical CHD.

Social Media Synopsis:

Children with single ventricle physiology and transposition of the great arteries have measurable early language delays.

Keywords

Critical CHDdevelopmental surveillancelanguage developmentearly detectioncapute scales
Type
Original Article
Information
Cardiology in the Young , First View , pp. 1 - 7
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2025. Published by Cambridge University Press

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