Pediatric Cardiac Rehabilitation: a Review

AbstractPurpose of ReviewIn addition to concerns with physical health and activity levels, children with cardiac conditions can be at risk of neurodevelopmental and socioemotional maladjustment. Children with congenital heart defects requiring surgery early in life are at risk of developmental delays and cognitive impairments, and both children with congenital heart defects and those with cardiomyopathies are at risk of socioemotional concerns. As a result, there is an increasing focus on rehabilitation efforts for these patients, in order to improve both their physical well-being and their adjustment outcomes. However, there are no established standards for rehabilitation programs applicable across children with cardiac conditions, in stark contrast to guidelines for adult patients. The purpose of the present review is to summarize recent studies on pediatric cardiac rehabilitation and describe the structure of our own program, in order to aid with the delineation of future guidelines.Recent FindingsTwenty programs for pediatric cardiac rehabilitation were identified and reviewed. We review inpatient, outpatient, and home-based programs, most of which include two to three sessions of exercise training per week for 12  weeks with a focus on improving exercise capacity. We also review emerging cognitive rehabilitation for children with cardiac disorders and discuss a newly developed program at our own institution.SummaryA review of past findings, along with recent efforts at ...
Source: Current Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Reports - Category: Rehabilitation Source Type: research