Are Young Children With Congenital Heart Conditions School Ready?

Many preschool-aged children with congenital heart conditions are not on track for school readiness, according to a study presented at ACC.25.

“(CHC) are associated with health and neurodevelopmental challenges. This study aims to compare health and readiness to learn (HRL) of preschool-aged children with and without CHC,” the researchers noted.

The investigators used the 2022 National Survey of Children’s Health parent-reported data to analyze HRL in over 9,000 3-5-year-olds using an established algorithm of 28 questions organized into the five domains. Scores were characterized as Needs Support, Emerging, or On Track, aligning with age-appropriate expectations, they noted. If at least four domains were On Track, the study team deemed overall HRL On Track. The analysis excluded children with intellectual disabilities. The researchers noted that adjusted prevalence ratios (aPRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compare the prevalence of On Track children with and without CHC.

The findings showed that 57.7% of children with CHC were On Track for HRL, and 60.3%-77.3% were overall On Track. However, the results showed that all On Track point estimates were lower for those with CHC than without CHC.

“Future intervention efforts could prioritize physical readiness of preschoolers with CHC and connect families with resources,” the researchers concluded.

Source (note for copy edit, no abstract number available, I’ll provide the title):

American College of Cardiology 2025 Scientific Session 2025. Omari J, et al. School Readiness Among U.S. Children With and Without Congenital Heart Conditions, National Survey of Children’s Health 2022.