If your baby was born with a congenital heart defect (CHD), treatment for it has never been better. But, while it’s important to care for their heart, well-rounded care also prepares them for their future.
To meet their future head-on, we need to think ahead. Physically, your child has overcome what was a scary time for your family. But these challenges happened at a time when your child was meant to be developing at a rapid pace. To mentally thrive, we need to help them with any potential developmental delays.
UVA Health Children’s neurocardiac program offers follow-up care for kids born with CHD. Our team of specialists monitors and encourages healthy development to help your child achieve their potential.
Neurocardio Care at UVA Health Children’s
Children born with congenital heart defects have a higher risk of also having developmental delays and disabilities. Together with your family, your child’s school, and your primary provider, our specialists:
- Identify potential neurodevelopmental issues early
- Design personalized treatment plans
- Help each child reach their potential
What Services Does Neurocardio Follow-Up Provide?
At your child’s follow-up appointments, we look at their growth and progress in specific areas of development. “Neurodevelopment” includes:
- Motor skills
- Play skills
- Feeding
- Language
- Growth
- Nutrition
- Hearing
We’ll address any concerns you have. And we’ll work with you on a plan for reaching your child’s goals.
This can include doing physical therapy at home. Changing your child’s diet to increase calories. Or adding a few games that help develop fine motor skills, like picking things up.
Each treatment plan is different because each child is different.
Who Is Part of the Neurocardiac Team?
During your visit, you might see:
- Developmental pediatricians
- Neurologists
- Cardiologists
- Speech therapists
- Physical therapists
- Occupational therapists
- Nutritionists
- Social workers
Pediatric Heart Expertise
At UVA Health Children's, our pediatric cardiology program is one of the best in the country. Our outcomes outperform the national average, and we offer follow-up care that grows with your child.
CHD Developmental Health Frequently Asked Questions
Your provider is best equipped to answer specific questions about your child. Please feel free to call or use MyChart to easily send a message.
These are some common questions we can answer.
Why does CHD cause problems with neurodevelopment?
It doesn’t always. But anytime a child has a serious medical condition in early infancy, developmental delays can happen. These can be as minor as a speech delay.
Healing takes up a lot of energy. And that can make it difficult to develop as quickly as they may have otherwise.
Why can’t my child just progress at their own pace?
They absolutely can. Each baby’s milestones, and when they can hit them, are unique. But checking in lets us see early delays and correct them.
Why is it important to catch developmental concerns early?
Development is all connected. A baby with a motor delay can’t explore the world as much as they might feel driven to. Finding ways to help them allows them to progress at their true pace.
Is this going to put a label on my child?
No. Many children experience developmental delays, for many reasons. When this happens, we try to help children catch up.