School-Age Test Proficiency and Special Education After Congenital Heart Disease Surgery in Infancy

Objective To evaluate test proficiency and the receipt of special education services in school-age children who had undergone surgery for congenital heart disease (CHD) at age Study design Data from Arkansas-born children who underwent surgery for CHD at Arkansas Children's Hospital at age Results A total of 362 of 458 (79%) children who underwent surgery for CHD were matched to the Arkansas Department of Education database, 285 of whom had grade 3 and/or 4 achievement tests scores. Fewer students with CHD achieved proficiency in literacy and mathematics ( P P P P Conclusion Children with CHD had poorer academic achievement and were more likely to receive special education services than all state students. Results from this study support the need for neurodevelopmental evaluations as standard practice in children with CHD.