Assessment of Motor Development of Children with Congenital Heart Disease

Background: Children with congenital heart disease have a higher risk of presenting delay in development. This is why they must attend monitoring and assessment programs to identify such risks and for an early intervention. Objective: To assess the relationship between changes in the development of motor skills and congenital heart defects in children. Methods: Cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach involving 30 children of both sexes, with congenital heart disease. The motor development scale was used for the assessment of motor skills. Results: The motor skills assessed were found to be significantly below the normal average level (p<0.05). Three aspects of motor development revealed significant risk to development: body scheme, spatial organization and temporal organization. Conclusion: There was an association of abnormalities in the development of some motor aspects and the presence of congenital heart disease. It is essential to assess motor development from early childhood, considering the interference of clinical diagnosis and the need to monitor the development and any early intervention that may be required.