New neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive care modules for healthcare professionals
HeartKids are excited to announce the release of new learning modules to support neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive care for patients and families living with CoHD. Our learning modules designed for healthcare professionals include helpful care pathways along with useful Australian specific patient and family supports and resources. The modules target learners throughout the health workforce and there is a specific module targeted at primary and community care.
All HeartKids learning resources for healthcare professionals are available here.
Our latest education modules release includes the following:
The NDIS and CoHD
This module is designed to help healthcare professionals support patients and their families in the process of accessing supports through the NDIS and the NDIS Early Childhood Approach. Whilst childhood-onset heart disease (CoHD) is not directly covered as part of these schemes, many of the extracardiac comorbidities associated with CoHD do qualify for support. The NDIS Early Childhood Approach provides supports and early intervention for children with developmental delay which is commonly encountered in patients with CoHD many who have increased rates of neurodevelopmental disability when compared to the general population. The module will provide a practical framing to the NDIS application process, provide clear care pathways, identify overlapping CoHD related diagnoses, outline effective approaches to completing access requests and help healthcare professionals to confidently guide and support patients and their families through the process.
Identifying patients at high risk for neurodevelopmental disability
This module will discuss how to reliably identify risk factors that place patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) at high risk for Neurodevelopmental disability/delay (NDD) and provide a framework to help assess an individual’s risk. Typical phenotypic age/event related presentations are outlined. Potential surveillance. screening and evaluation assessment instruments and strategies are also highlighted and mitigation/intervention strategies are also discussed.
Educating, engaging and supporting carers to improve neurodevelopmental outcomes in CoHD
This module is designed to help healthcare workers educate and support carers around neurodevelopmental disability/delay (NDD) in the setting of childhood-onset heart disease (CoHD) and more specifically, congenital heart disease (CHD). The importance of the role carers play in optimising neurodevelopmental outcomes will be outlined. Risk factors for carers that have a negative influence on a child’s neurodevelopment are also discussed, along with strategies to mitigate risk.
Supporting neurodevelopment in childhood-onset heart disease in a primary and community care setting
Neurodevelopmental disability (NDD) is the most common comorbidity for patients with CHD, and in those who undergo cardiac intervention up to 50% may exhibit NDD across several domains, with many of these persisting into school years and into adulthood. This module will help primary care professionals (PCP) and community health workers better support surveillance, screening, evaluation and intervention for NDD in patients with CoHD. The module also provides information on how to screen, educate and support carers. Risk factors for NDD and impactful areas that primary and community care can support to improve NDD outcomes will also be discussed.
Our newly available learning modules are designed to empower healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to support the neurodevelopmental and neurocognitive needs of patients with CoHD. We encourage all healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients with CoHD to engage with these resources and integrate the learnings into their practice.
For more information and to access the modules, please visit our dedicated page for Healthcare Professionals.
