Growing Up: Interventions in Childhood and CHIP-School

An adaptation of the Congenital Heart disease Intervention Program, CHIP-School for families of children with significant congenital heart disease (CHD) about to enter school is described. This program adapted the fundamental components of problem prevention therapy, meaning making, and outreach to community services and wove in interventions targeted at the specific challenges of this developmental period. Outcomes, evaluated in a randomized trial, suggested that CHIP-School was associated with reduced psychological distress in mothers and improved family functioning. Indirect positive benefits for the child were discerned including reduced days sick, better school attendance, and a trend toward improved behavioral adjustment. The significance of programs such as CHIP for new directions in care for children with CHD in particular, and pediatrics in general, is discussed together with implications for future research in the area.