Significant motor improvement in an infant with congenital heart disease and a rolandic stroke: The impact of early intervention

ABSTRACT

Objective: To report the impact of early motor intervention in an infant with congenital heart disease (CHD) and a stroke. Methods and Results: A 35-week newborn with a complex CHD and a normal MRI presented with early motor developmental delay at 2 months. She began an intervention program, which included biweekly motor developmental therapy with a physiotherapist, parental education, and daily home exercises. At 4 months, she underwent cardiac surgery. Following surgery, she was diagnosed with a stroke involving the right sylvian artery territory. She continued her intensive intervention program. The 12-month assessment revealed an evident gain of motor function. Despite MRI evidence of a chronic infarct involving the primary motor cortex, the child had normal motor functions. Conclusion: This case report supports the positive impact of early intervention in infants with CHD and its potential effect on enhancing neuroplasticity, even in children with cerebro-vascular accidents involving areas of motor function.

KEYWORDS:

• Congenital heart disease (CHD)
• early intervention
• motor
• neuroplasticity
• stroke

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Annie Jacques, physiotherapist, and Geneviève Daoust, occupational therapist, at the Centre de réadapation Marie-Enfant (CRME), who were both involved in the baby girl’s intervention at the rehabilitation center and provided clinical information during the manuscript preparation.

Funding

This work was funded by Garnier Kids Foundation.

Declaration of interest

None of the authors has conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded by Garnier Kids Foundation.