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Over the past decade, new research has advanced scientific knowledge of neurodevelopmental trajectories, factors that increase neurodevelopmental risk, and neuroprotective strategies for individuals with congenital heart disease. In addition, best practices for evaluation and management of developmental delays and disorders in this high-risk patient population have been formulated based on literature review and expert consensus. This American Heart Association scientific statement serves as an update to the 2012 statement on the evaluation and management of neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with congenital heart disease. It includes revised risk categories for developmental delay or disorder and an updated list of factors that increase neurodevelopmental risk in individuals with congenital heart disease according to current evidence, including genetic predisposition, fetal and perinatal factors, surgical and perioperative factors, socioeconomic disadvantage, and parental psychological distress. It also includes an updated algorithm for referral, evaluation, and management of individuals at high risk. Risk stratification of individuals with congenital heart disease with the updated categories and risk factors will identify a large and growing population of survivors at high risk for developmental delay or disorder and associated impacts across the life span. Critical next steps must include efforts to prevent and mitigate developmental delays and disorders. The goal of this scientific statement is to inform health care professionals caring for patients with congenital heart disease and other key stakeholders about the current state of knowledge of neurodevelopmental outcomes for individuals with congenital heart disease and best practices for neuroprotection, risk stratification, evaluation, and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) often leads to anxiety, depression, and traumatic stress in expectant mothers, with long-term implications for the child and family. However, psychosocial intervention is rarely incorporated into prenatal care. HEARTPrep is a virtually delivered psychosocial intervention aimed at reducing distress and social isolation and increasing parenting self-efficacy and hope for mothers expecting a baby with CHD to promote long-term child/family well-being. This study evaluated the feasibility and acceptability of HEARTPrep. Participants were mothers receiving cardiology care for a fetal CHD diagnosis. Partners could participate with the mother. HEARTPrep was delivered through a mobile app and telehealth. Feasibility was assessed through enrollment/retention rates. Acceptability was assessed through 20 Likert-scale and five open-ended questions. Of 39 recruited mothers, 35 (90%) enrolled. Half of partners (48%) also participated. Twenty-seven of 35 enrolled mothers (77%) completed HEARTPrep. On a scale from 0 (Not at All) to 4 (Very), mean item acceptability scores ranged from 3.5 to 3.9. Mothers reported HEARTPrep helped them feel less distressed (mean: 3.74), less alone (3.84), more prepared (3.89), and more hopeful (3.84). Opportunities to process emotions, develop coping skills, learn with their partner, navigate relationships, understand they are not alone, connect with peer support, access resources, and prepare for stressors were described as helpful. HEARTPrep is feasible and acceptable for mothers expecting a baby with CHD. Future research will evaluate its efficacy in preventing/reducing maternal mental health problems and improving postnatal clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: For parents with opioid use disorder (OUD) and their children, group well child care (WCC) is an under-studied intervention that may reduce stigma, increase quality of care, and improve clinical outcomes. We explored barriers and facilitators to this intervention using an implementation science framework. Methods: A qualitative study was conducted from October 2020–March 2021 as part of the planning phase of a cluster-randomized trial of group WCC. Parent participants were recruited from one urban, university-affiliated OUD treatment center to participate in semi-structured telephone interviews. Eligible parents had a child under two years old and were English speaking. Clinician participants were recruited from a nearby pediatric primary care practice. Inductive thematic analysis of interview responses was led by two investigators using open coding procedures. Results: Thirty-one parents and thirteen pediatric clinicians participated in the interviews. Most parents (68%) reported that they would be likely or very likely to bring their child to the OUD treatment center for WCC. Six themes emerged describing perceived implementation barriers, including intervention difficulty, complexity, and potential negative outcomes such as loss of privacy. Six themes emerged as implementation facilitators: (1) focus on parental OUD and recovery, (2) peer support, (3) accessibility and coordination of care, (4) clinician skill and expertise in parental OUD, (5) increased time for patient care, and (6) continuity of care. Conclusions for Practice: Parents and clinicians expressed multiple perceived benefits of this intervention. Identified barriers and facilitators will inform implementation and evaluation of group WCC within one OUD treatment program. Significance: What is Already Known on the Subject? Birthing parents with opioid use disorder and their children often face social and economic hardships, including barriers to well child care engagement. Group well child care has improved family outcomes in other patient populations. What this Study Adds? Birthing parents in treatment for opioid use disorder and pediatric clinicians identify potential facilitators of implementing group well child care within a parental treatment program; these facilitators include a focus on parental recovery and wellness, peer support, and accessibility and coordination of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies suggest that group-based well child care—a shared medical appointment where families come together as a group to receive pediatric primary care—increases patient-reported satisfaction and adherence to recommended care. Evidence supporting the use of group well child care for mothers with opioid use disorder, however, is lacking. The overall objective of the Child Healthcare at MATER Pediatric Study (CHAMPS) trial is to evaluate a group model of well child care for mothers with opioid use disorder and their children. Methods: CHAMPS is a single-site 2-arm cluster randomized controlled trial. A total of 108 mother–child dyads will be enrolled into the study. Twenty-six clusters of approximately 4 mother-infant dyads each will be randomized 1:1 to one of two study arms (intervention or control). Clustering will be based on child's month of birth. In the intervention arm, group well child care will be provided on-site at a maternal substance use disorder treatment program. Mother–child dyads in the control arm will receive individual well child care from one nearby pediatric primary care clinic. Dyads in both study arms will be followed prospectively for 18 months, and data will be compared between the two study arms. Primary outcomes include well child care quality and utilization, child health knowledge, and parenting quality. Discussion: The CHAMPS trial will provide evidence to determine if a group well child care offered on-site at an opioid treatment program for pregnant and parenting women is beneficial over individual well child care for families impacted by maternal opioid use disorder. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05488379. Registered on Aug. 04, 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined emotion-related functioning following cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with 37 youth with anxiety disorders (22 boys, 15 girls) ranging in age from 7 to 15 with a principal diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (n = 27), separation anxiety disorder (n = 12), and/or social phobia (n = 13). Treated youth exhibited a reduction in anxiety and increased anxiety self-efficacy and emotional awareness at posttreatment. Treated youth also demonstrated improved coping and less emotional dysregulation with worry but not with anger or sadness. The results suggest that the gains made in worry regulation do not generalize to other emotions that are not specifically targeted within the CBT protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined emotion socialization practices in families of children with an anxiety disorder (AD; n = 28) and of children who had no diagnoses (ND; n = 28) and considered gender differences. Youth (aged 8-13) and both parents discussed times when the child felt anxious, angry, and happy, for 5 min each. Fathers of AD children engaged in less explanatory discussion of emotion overall and exhibited less positive affect and more negative affect when interacting with sons than did fathers of ND children. Similar patterns emerged for mothers, although specific results varied by emotion type and child gender. Children with an AD demonstrated less positive affect overall and engaged in fewer problem-solving emotion regulation strategies when discussing anxious and angry situations than did children in the ND group. In both AD and ND groups, fathers appeared to have greater involvement in emotion-related discussions with sons versus daughters. The results highlight parents' contributions to the emotional development of their children, the ways in which socialization may go awry in families of AD children, and the implications for children's emotional functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigated the development and utility of the Negative Affectivity Self-Statement Questionnaire—Anxiety Scale (NASSQ-A) for youth. Participants in the initial anxiety-disordered (AD) sample were 68 children with a principal diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or social phobia (SP), and participants in the non anxiety-disordered (NAD) sample were 37 children with no anxiety or mood disorder. Findings were then cross-validated on an additional sample of 138 children with a principal diagnosis of GAD or SP. Thirty-three negative self-statements were found to separate anxious from non-anxious participants, and were combined to form the NASSQ-A. Using Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analyses, a NASSQ-A cutoff score of 49 was determined to be optimal for identifying anxiety-disordered youth. Findings are discussed with regard to the assessment of self-talk in anxiety disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medication treatment studies have demonstrated short-term efficacy of various Sills, opioid antagonists, and mood stabilizers in sub-samples of adult treatment seeking pathological gamblers. Pathological gambling is frequently comorbid with bipolar spectrum disorders, substance abuse/dependence, and attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and comorbidity may influence treatment response in pathological gambling. This review focuses on recent research examining the treatment of pathological gambling and highlights methodological challenges for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction notice is presented related to the article "Group Well Child Care for Mothers with Opioid Use Disorder: Framework for Implementation" which was published on September 28, 2023 issue of the periodical.

Integrating behavioral health services within pediatric primary care may help address barriers to these services for youth, especially the underserved. Models of primary care behavioral health include coordinated, colocated, integrated, and collaborative care. This study began exploring the comparative utility of these models by investigating differences in the demographics and diagnoses of patients seen for a behavioral health warm handoff (integrated model) and a scheduled behavioral health visit (colocated model) across 3 pediatric primary care sites. The 3 sites differed in their rates of warm handoff usage, and there were differences in certain diagnoses given at warm handoffs versus scheduled visits. Depression diagnoses were more likely to be given in warm handoffs, and disruptive behavior, trauma/adjustment, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder–related diagnoses were more likely to be given in scheduled visits. These results have implications for the influence of office structure and standardized procedures on behavioral health models used in pediatric primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research done on the relationship between psychosocial factors and cardiovascular health in youth. It references the study "Cumulative Effect of Psychosocial Factors in Youth on Ideal Cardiovascular Health in Adulthood: The Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study" by M. Elovainio and colleagues, published within the issue. Relevant findings of the study are presented and the meaning of the term psychosocial is examined.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute convened a workshop in August 2021 to identify opportunities in pediatric and congenital cardiovascular research that would improve outcomes for individuals with congenital heart disease across the lifespan. A subsidiary goal was to provide feedback on and visions for the Pediatric Heart Network. This paper summarizes several key research opportunities identified in the areas of: data quality, access, and sharing; aligning cardiovascular research with patient priorities (eg, neurodevelopmental and psychological impacts); integrating research within clinical care and supporting implementation into practice; leveraging creative study designs; and proactively enriching diversity of investigators, participants, and perspectives throughout the research process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retrospective chart review is an accessible form of research that is commonly used across medical fields but is underutilized in behavioral health. As a relatively newer area of research, the field of pediatric integrated primary care (IPC) would particularly benefit from guidelines for conducting a methodologically sound chart review study. Here, we use our experiences building a chart review procedure for a pediatric IPC research project to offer strategies for optimizing reliability (consistency), validity (accuracy), and efficiency. We aim to provide guidance for conducting a chart review study in the specific setting of pediatric IPC so that researchers can apply this methodology toward generating research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parents of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) exhibit high rates of mental health difficulties, which can influence child developmental and behavioural outcomes. While extensive research has focused on CHD‐related stressors that contribute to parental mental health difficulties, few studies have investigated parental coping strategies that may mitigate or heighten risk. This study aimed to identify parental coping strategies following diagnosis of CHD and compare use of coping strategies among different groups (mothers vs. fathers; prenatal vs. postnatal diagnosis). Methods: A diverse sample of 34 parents (20 mothers and 14 fathers) of young children with CHD participated in semistructured interviews focused on their responses to CHD‐related stressors. Coping strategies were identified from qualitative data and categorized according to the COPE Inventory, an instrument that assesses common adult responses to stress. Coping strategies deemed as unique to parenting a critically ill child were identified. χ2 and independent sample t tests evaluated group differences. Results: Parents described using between 1 and 10 different adaptive and maladaptive strategies measured by the COPE Inventory. Most parents (82.35%) also described coping strategies that may be unique to parenting a critically ill child. Mothers were more likely than fathers to report a focus on and venting of emotions (70% vs. 21.43%) and behavioural disengagement (25% vs. 0%). Compared with parents receiving a postnatal CHD diagnosis, those receiving a prenatal diagnosis described a greater variety of coping strategies (6.23 vs. 4.52) and more often reported positive reinterpretation and growth (69.23% vs. 14.29%), behavioural disengagement (38.46% vs. 0%) and denial (38.46% vs. 0%). Conclusions: Parents of children with CHD utilize a variety of coping strategies, some of which are maladaptive. Interventions tailored to the needs of mothers and fathers of young children with CHD, including those receiving a postnatal diagnosis, are needed to promote adaptive coping and optimize family psychosocial outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the need for the health care system to improve its support to families which experienced deaths of children. Other topics include the possible long-term adverse effects of a child's death to the physical and mental health of parents and siblings, the complexities in parental preparedness around end of life, and the activities of the nonprofit Hayden's Heart in supporting pediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD).

Examined the prevalence of anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders in the parents of anxiety disordered (AD) children relative to children with no psychological disorder (NPD). The specificity of relationships between child and parent anxiety disorders was also investigated. Results revealed higher prevalence rates of anxiety disorders in parents of AD children relative to NPD children. Specific child–mother relationships were found between child separation anxiety and panic disorder and maternal panic disorder, as were child and maternal social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder, and specific phobias. Findings are discussed with reference to theory, clinical implications, and future research needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common causes of infant admission to pediatric intensive care and is associated with profound psychological stress for mothers, fathers and their infants. Intensive care unit admission represents an opportunity to offer evidence-based strategies to prevent or minimize severe psychological distress and promote secure bonding and attachment, alongside high-quality infant medical care.Objectives: We aimed to identify, synthesize and critically appraise published evidence on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of mental health interventions delivered in neonatal, pediatric or cardiac intensive care units for parents of infants with CHD. A secondary goal was to develop recommendations for advancing health policy, practice and research in the field.Methods: In accordance with a prospectively registered protocol (CRD42019114507), six electronic databases were systematically searched for studies reporting results of a controlled trial of a mental health intervention for parents of infants aged 0-12 months with a congenital anomaly requiring intensive care unit admission. To maximize generalizability of results, trials involving infants with any type of structural congenital anomaly requiring surgery were included. Outcomes included intervention type, process, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness.Results: Across all forms of congenital anomaly, only five trials met inclusion criteria (four in CHD, one in gastrointestinal malformation). All interventions engaged parents face-to-face, but each had a distinct therapeutic approach (parent-infant interaction and bonding, early pediatric palliative care, psycho-education, parenting skills training, and family-centered nursing). Four of the five trials demonstrated efficacy in reducing maternal anxiety, although the quality of evidence was low. Positive results were also found for maternal coping, mother-infant attachment, parenting confidence and satisfaction with clinical care, as well as infant mental (but not psychomotor) development at 6 months. Mixed results were found for maternal depression and infant feeding. No evidence of efficacy was found for improving parent, infant or family quality of life, physical health or length of infant hospital stay, and there were no data on cost-effectiveness.Conclusions: Stronger evidence for the efficacy of mental health interventions to buffer the effects of intensive care unit admission for parents of infants with CHD is urgently needed. Robust, high-quality trials are lacking, despite the established need and demand, and health policies prioritizing parent mental health care in the context of early childhood adversity are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neurodevelopmental outcomes after the Norwood procedure for single right ventricular lesions are worse than those in the normal population. It would be valuable to identify which patients at the time of Norwood discharge are at greatest risk for neurodevelopmental impairment later in childhood. As such, this study sought to construct and validate a model to predict poor neurodevelopmental outcome using variables readily available to the clinician. Using data from the 14 month neurodevelopmental outcome of the Single-Ventricle Reconstruction (SVR) trial, a classification and regression tree (CART) analysis model was developed to predict severe neurodevelopmental impairment, defined as a Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) score lower than 70 on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II. The model then was validated using data from subjects enrolled in the Infant Single Ventricle (ISV) trial. The PDI scores were lower than 70 for 138 (44 %) of 313 subjects. Predictors of a PDI lower than 70 were post-Norwood intensive care unit (ICU) stay longer than 46 days, genetic syndrome or other anomalies, birth weight less than 2.7 kg, additional cardiac surgical procedures, and use of five or more medications at hospital discharge. Using these risk factors, the CART model correctly identified 75 % of SVR subjects with a PDI lower than 70. When the CART model was applied to 70 subjects from the ISV trial, the correct classification rate was 67 %. This model of variables from the Norwood hospitalization can help to identify infants at risk for neurodevelopmental impairment. However, given the overall high prevalence of neurodevelopmental impairment and the fact that nearly one third of severely affected children would not have been identified by these risk factors, close surveillance and assessment for early intervention services are warranted for all infants after the Norwood procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background--Survivors of the Norwood procedure may experience neurodevelopmental impairment. Clinical trials to improve outcomes have focused primarily on methods of vital organ support during cardiopulmonary bypass. Methods and Results--In the Single Ventricle Reconstruction trial of the Norwood procedure with modified Blalock-Taussig shunt versus right-ventricle-to-pulmonary-artery shunt, 14-month neurodevelopmental outcome was assessed by use of the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI) and Mental Development Index (MDI) of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II. We used multivariable regression to identify risk factors for adverse outcome. Among 373 transplant-free survivors, 321 (86%) returned at age 14.3±1.1 (mean±SD) months. Mean PDI (74±19) and MDI (89±18) scores were lower than normative means (each P<0.001). Neither PDI nor MDI score was associated with type of Norwood shunt. Independent predictors of lower PDI score (fl2=26%) were clinical center (P=0.003), birth weight <2.5 kg (P=0.023), longer Norwood hospitalization (P

The article presents concerns regarding manual-based treatments and contends that many of such concerns arise from misperceptions about how the treatments are optimally implemented in practice. It explains the flexible application of manuals through the examples drawn from the Coping Cat program, a cognitive-behavioral therapy for anxiety problems in youths that has been found to be efficacious. Examples given in the section outline the significance of implementing manual-based treatments within the context of a child-centered, individualized approach to facilitate the child's involvement in the treatment process.

We studied 15 nondepressed patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who were nonresponders to serotonin reuptake inhibitors with an additive trial of risperidone. Positron emission tomography with 18F-deoxyglucose and magnetic resonance imaging was obtained at baseline and following 8 weeks of either risperidone or placebo in a double-blind parallel group design. Risperidone treatment was associated with significant increases in relative metabolic rate in the striatum, cingulate gyrus, the prefrontal cortex, especially in the orbital region, and the thalamus. Four of 9 patients who received risperidone showed clinical improvement (CGI score of 1 or 2 at 8 weeks) while none of the 6 patients who received placebo showed improvement. Patients with low relative metabolic rates in the striatum and high relative metabolic rates in the anterior cingulate gyrus were more likely to show a clinical response. These metabolic predictors of clinical response are consistent with earlier PET studies showing similar prediction when either neuroleptics or serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatments are administered individually. Our results are consistent with a frontostriatal circuit change related to both dopaminergic and serotonergic systems and with the presence of psychopharmacological subtypes within OCD. Copyright © 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may be effective for some patients with pathological gambling, but those with comorbid conditions, such as bipolar spectrum disorders, may relapse during treatment. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first placebo-controlled treatment study in pathological gamblers with bipolar spectrum disorders; it compares sustained-release lithium carbonate to placebo. Method: Forty pathological gambling patients with bipolar spectrum disorders entered a 10-week randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled treatment study of sustained-release lithium carbonate. Outcome measures included gambling severity, mood, anxiety, and impulsivity scales. Results: Pathological gambling patients with bipolar spectrum disorders significantly improved while taking sustained-release lithium carbonate compared to placebo on total pathological gambling scores on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, including both thoughts! urges and behavior, as well as on the Clinical Global Impression severity of pathological gambling scale. Affective instability (the Clinician-Administered Rating Scale for Mania score) was also lower in the group treated with sustained-release lithium carbonate compared to placebo. Ten (83%) of 12 completers were rated as responders in the sustained-release lithium group versus five (29%) of 17 in the placebo group. Of note, improvement in gambling severity was significantly correlated with improvement in mania ratings. Conclusions: Sustained-released lithium may be an effective treatment in reducing both gambling behavior and affective instability in pathological gamblers with bipolar spectrum disorder. This study highlights the need to identify subgroups of pathological gambling patients with bipolar spectrum conditions because this may have important treatment implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents questions and answers related to the development of children with congenital heart disease.