Development of children born during the Zika virus epidemic in Brazil: a generation at risk?

Abstract

In Brazil, during the Zika virus epidemic, studies primarily focused on children with intrauterine virus exposure, while neglecting to monitor those born during that time. Children without intrauterine exposure can also experience developmental challenges due to environmental, social, and individual, and maternal mental health stress during epidemics. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of delays in cognitive-language-motor de-velopment, identify factors linked to scores, and discuss the impacts of the epidemic on children’s development. A cross-sectional study with 78 children without exposure, aged 11-39 months, was conducted using the Bayley-III assessment. It revealed that 27% of the children had delays in at least one domain, with language (24,4%) being the most affected. No link between delays and sociodemographic factors was found. Given the high prevalence and the limited number of studies on the epidemic’s impact on the development of children without intrauterine exposure, concerns arise about long-term risks. Therefore, monitoring until school age is recommended.