Effect of neurodevelopmental treatment in children with congenital Zika syndrome: A pilot study

Aim To evaluate the effects of neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) in children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Methods This prospective, interventional cohort study involved children with CZS undergoing follow-up at a specialist centre in northeastern Brazil. The duration of the proposed NDT protocol was 1 year, with 45-min sessions delivered one to five times weekly. Motor function, weight, height, head circumference and the incidence of comorbidities were evaluated in children before protocol initiation and then at 3, 6 and 12 months of treatment. Results Thirty children were evaluated (age mean 30.1 +/- 3 months). Motor function improved from baseline to 6 months (P = 0.001). No difference in weight and head circumference z-score (P = 0.51 and P = 0.29, respectively), but an increase in height z-score (P < 0.001) was observed over the evaluation period. There was a reduction in the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia and urinary tract infections over the follow-up period. Conclusions NDT proved to be a viable treatment approach that can improve motor function and reduce the incidence of comorbidities in children with CZS, while having no harmful effects on their growth.