The Dutch Child Health Care guideline 'Early detection of congenital heart disease in the age group 0-19 years'

- The Dutch Child Health Care guideline on the early detection of congenital heart disease was developed according to the principles for evidence-based guideline development and contains recommendations for the conduct of the examination during routine check-ups and for referral criteria. - Most congenital heart diseases can be detected in the first year of life if physicians and nurses work according to this guideline. - Important early times for screening are the home visit to infants at the age of two weeks by the child health nurse and the routine check-up of infants at the age of four weeks by the child health care physician. - A routine cardiac screening is carried out in every child by the nurse and the physician at times specified in the basic list of professional responsibilities. A more extensive examination is carried out when indicated. - Routine cardiac check-ups are recommended until the age of four, after which they should be done only when indicated on medical grounds. - A feasibility study showed that physicians and nurses can apply the guideline effectively, provided that they take part in prior specific training.