Reduced motor skills in kindergarten children with congenital heart disease in comparison with healthy children despite similar physical activity

Objective: Motor competence is of major importance for the interactions of individuals with their environment. School children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are known to have limitations even without hemodynamic residuals. Data from kindergarten children are missing. This study was to compare the motor development of kindergarten children aged 4-6 years with congenital heart disease with healthy peers of the same age.

Patients and Methods: Motor development was investigated in 62 children (19 female, 43 male) with various forms of CHD and compared to 39 healthy children (22 female, 17 male). All subjects performed the motor development test MOT 4-6, answered the Kiddy-KINDL® quality of life questionnaire, and wore an accelerometer to capture daily physical activity for seven consecutive days.

Results: The median (quartile 1; quartile 3) motor quotient in the CHD group (104 [96;113]) was significantly lower than in the control group (111 [104;116]; Mann-Whitney-U test p=0.005). Quality of life did not differ significantly (p=0.774, parents’ questionnaire p=0.066), nor the minutes in moderate and vigorous physical activity (p=0.093). No correlation between the motor quotient and the other variables could be shown.

Conclusions: Kindergarten children with CHD have a slightly reduced motor ability in comparison with healthy children. This reduction seems not to be related to the amount of physical activity or quality of life.