Abstract
Infants, children, and adults can all have major heart disease. If serious, the child may die or need a new heart from a heart transplant. There is a long waiting list for heart transplants (3 months to 2 years). Some children have a medical device on the outside of their body that helps their heart pump. This life-saving device can allow the child to live for longer, but they have to wait in the hospital, in the CTICU. They do not get to move around and explore their environment by crawling and walking or playing with toys. The hospital is their home. As a result of their heart disease and the hospital environment they have delays in motor, cognitive, and language skills. Physical therapists can provide therapy to children awaiting a heart transplant – even when they are hooked to machines. This study looks at how that therapy is delivered to improve the treatment. We think that 1) providing therapy that allows the child to move and explore and play with toys as much as possible (while being safe) will have a strong result, 2) everyday physical therapy, in a concentrated burst, will help motor, language, and cognitive skills, and 3) the therapy will be safe and feasible.