PI: Pat Longmuir

Study Contact: [email protected]

Study Contact Full Name: Jenna Yaraskavitch

Lay Summary: Active play is critically important for young children. It is essential for normal growth and development and is how children socialize with peers. Our previous study among 127 children with a congenital heart defects found lower activity levels among patients 18 to 59 months of age compared to their healthy peers. Children with heart defects often did not achieve the recommended 180 minutes of physical activity per day. We suspect that CHD treatments may reduce active play opportunities, delaying motor skill development, and preventing active lifestyle habits from being establish in early childhood.

This study is evaluating the feasibility of a 6-month, home-based, parent-led, physical activity program, completed immediately after surgical or catheterization treatment. This study will determine whether parents are willing to join such a study during their child’s treatment, whether they are able to implement the home program, and what proportion of children are eligible to participate. Once we know this approach is feasible, we will do a larger study to evaluate the impact of the physical activity program among infants and young children with CHD. We think that encouraging appropriate physical activity during treatment and recovery would be the best approach for creating healthy physical activity habits among young children with CHD. Children 5 years of age or younger who are having CHD treatment (surgery or catheterization) are eligible to participate.

The study will run until March 2026, after which the results will be posted to this webpage.