The Relationship Among Children Born with a Congenital Heart Defect, Effects of General Anesthesia, and Special Academic Needs
Abstract I initiated this study due to experience in the public education system in one state in the United States. I noted a lack of understanding among educators on how to meet the educational needs of children born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) who had undergone general anesthesia related to their CHD. A lack of communication between the medical sector and the educational world led to extensive delays in children receiving the educational support they needed to be successful academically. There were two primary exploratory questions that drove my study: 1.) Is there a relationship between children born with CHD and their being determined eligible for a program under the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) criteria? 2.) Is there a relationship between how long a child has been under general anesthesia and his or her being determined eligible for a program under IDEA criteria? Through my study, I concluded there is a relationship among children born with CHD, exposure to general anesthesia, and being determined eligible for a program under the IDEA criteria. I recommend that hospitals with a Pediatric Cardiology Specialty Department implement an Administrative Educational/Medical Professional position to assist families as early as possible in meeting not only the medical needs but also the academic needs in their child’s life.
Education, IDEA, Anesthesia, CHD, Auto Ethnography, Disability and Equity in Education, Early Childhood Education, Educational Leadership, Education Economics, Elementary Education, Higher Education, International and Comparative Education, Pre-Elementary, Early Childhood, Kindergarten Teacher Education, Secondary Education, Special Education and Teaching, Teacher Education and Professional Development
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