For Scientists

Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program

The Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Program (CNP) at Boston Children’s Hospital provides multidisciplinary care for children with congenital heart disease (CHD) or histories of heart transplant. Many of our patients have comorbid genetic syndromes, such as 22q Deletion Syndrome and Noonan Syndrome, as well as other low-incidence medical and neurological conditions. Patients typically present with complex neurodevelopmental profiles and functional impairments ranging from mild to severe. Increased rates of autism spectrum disorders and other social cognition deficits are present, as are high rates of attention and executive function challenges and cognitive and learning impairments. Psychosocial adjustment difficulties are also common, including behavioral dysregulation, anxiety, and depression.

Our program provides comprehensive neurodevelopmental and behavioral health assessment, consultation, and treatment services starting in the prenatal period to reduce maternal stress, continuing with newborn and young infant neurobehavioral consultation during the inpatient hospital stay, and transitioning to the outpatient setting after hospital discharge with neurodevelopmental/neuropsychological evaluation and treatment services through young adulthood.

Training Experience

Graduate students will have an opportunity to participate in a range of clinical and research activities with children with CHD and related neurodevelopmental and psychosocial disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities, learning disabilities, ADHD and executive function challenges, anxiety, and medical trauma. Training experiences may include neurodevelopmental or neuropsychological assessment, consultation, individual and parent therapy, and/or group therapy in the inpatient or outpatient setting. The inpatient service focused primarily on assessment and consultation of infants under 3 months of age in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. The outpatient service includes assessment, consultation, and short-term individual or group therapy for children ages 3-24 and their families.

Training Goals

• Develop an understanding of the neurodevelopmental profiles commonly seen in children with CHD or histories of heart transplant
• Gain experience selecting, administering, and interpreting a wide range of neurodevelopmental and neuropsychological tests for infants, toddlers, children, and adolescents with CHD and comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders
• Participate in weekly parent groups teens/young adults and their parents
• Provide consultation within the hospital and in the community about the neurodevelopmental profiles of children with congenital heart disease as a part of a multidisciplinary approach to care
• Participate in an ongoing research project aimed at improving neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with CHD

Supervision & Formal Training

• Trainees will receive a minimum of 1 hour/week of individual supervision with a licensed clinical psychologist
• Trainees will shadow professionals from other disciplines in the field of cardiac neurodevelopment (e.g., cardiology, neurology, genetics)
• Trainees have the opportunity to participate in weekly didactic seminars in CNP and in the hospital
• Research mentorship is available through a monthly seminar with the CNP research team and biweekly meetings with a research mentor