Early Emotional, Behavioural and Social Development of Infants and Young Children with Congenital Heart Disease: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The experiences of diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD), cardiac surgery and hospitalisation(s) are distressing and represent a significant stressor for a child and family, which may impact psychosocial development. This systematic review provides a synthesis of psychosocial outcomes of infants and young children with congenital heart disease who had cardiac surgery early in life. Twenty-eight studies related to infant and young children's psychosocial development, specifically emotional, social and behavioural functioning were identified. Variability was related to methodological factors including differences in study design, varying measurement tools and heterogeneous samples. Despi..