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Analysis of Congenital Heart Defects in Mouse Embryos Using Qualitative and Quantitative Histological Methods
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Longitudinal Effects of Congenital Heart Defects in Infants With Down Syndrome: Implications for Developmental

Faith A Albertson1, Kali Kecskemeti2, Karl B Gregory2

  • 1University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.

American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
|August 11, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Congenital heart defects (CHDs) in infants with Down syndrome (DS) did not impact development at 12 months. However, DS infants with CHDs showed better expressive language at 24 months.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Developmental Neuroscience
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Congenital heart defects (CHDs) are common in infants with Down syndrome (DS), affecting 40-58%.
  • Limited evidence exists on how CHDs impact neurodevelopmental trajectories in DS.
  • Understanding these effects is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effects of cooccurring CHDs on neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with DS.
  • To examine developmental trajectories from 12 to 24 months of age.
  • To explore potential moderating factors like therapy.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 47 children with DS (26 with CHD) from 12 to 24 months.
  • Assessment of cognitive, motor, and language abilities.
  • Analysis of therapy type and dose effects.

Main Results:

  • No significant developmental differences between DS and DS+CHD groups at 12 months.
  • Children with DS+CHD demonstrated significantly higher expressive language at 24 months.
  • Therapy type and dose showed varied buffering effects across groups and ages.

Conclusions:

  • Neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with DS vary, even with cooccurring CHDs.
  • The presence of CHD may influence specific developmental areas, like language, over time.
  • Findings suggest the need for individualized treatment approaches for children with DS.

Keywords:
Down syndromecongenital heart defectsdevelopmental trajectorieslanguage

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