A remote parent-led early intervention protocol to promote motor development in infants with congenital heart disease: a feasibility pilot study of a randomized clinical trial

ABSTRACT

This study evaluated the feasibility of a parent-led, home-based early intervention for motor development in infants with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), part of a larger multicenter, single-blind randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05907109). Parents, supported by remote specialists weekly, engaged in multidomain stimulation activities five days a week, for six months. Feasibility was assessed via parental questionnaires, adherence rates, and infant motor development assessments. Despite high dropout and mortality rates, results showed 80% adherence, 91% parental satisfaction, 75% availability, and 60% self-efficacy. No significant motor skill differences were noted between the intervention (IG; n = 19) and control groups (CG; n = 11) at six months, but the higher baseline risk in IG suggests promotion of motor skills in the intervention group. Future studies in Brazil might extend the study duration to address high dropout and mortality rates.

KEYWORDS:

• Congenital heart disease
• early intervention
• Latin America
• motor development
• remote

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data Availability Statement

Despite these data being collected in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, a region highly impacted by the floods of May of 2024, this study was conducted and finalized prior to this catastrophic event, and it does not imply a historical bias in the presented data.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by a Brazilian Federal grant called Coordenacao de Aperfeicoament de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES) to support graduate students in Brazil.