Zika-exposed children may display neurodevelopmental differences

Children who are exposed to the Zika virus while in the womb, but who are not subsequently diagnosed with Zika-related birth defects and congenital Zika syndrome (CZS), may still display differences in some aspects of cognitive development, mood and mobility compared to unexposed children, reports a study published in Pediatric Research. These findings suggest that Zika-exposed children may need some additional support and monitoring as they get older.

There are still many unanswered questions about the long-term impacts of Zika on children exposed in utero. These findings are another piece of the puzzle that provides insight into the long-term neurodevelopment of children with prenatal Zika virus exposure.

Researchers examined the neurodevelopment of 55 children aged 3-5 years who were exposed to Zika in the womb and compared them to 70 control children aged 4-5 years who had not been exposed to Zika. Health professionals tested the children's motor skills and their readiness for school. Parents completed three questionnaires providing information about their child's cognitive function, behavioral and physical conditions, and their parenting experience.

Parents of Zika-exposed children reported significantly lower levels of mobility and responsibility compared to control children, although differences in cognitive function scores were not significant. Additionally, parents of 11% Zika-exposed children reported mood problems compared to 1% of control children, and Zika-exposed parents were significantly more likely to report parental distress.

Both Zika-exposed and control children also scored lowly on readiness for school.

The authors highlight that parental responses may have been influenced by the Zika-exposed children's parents' perceptions or increased worry about the development of their child. Some differences in results may also have been caused by the age – and therefore developmental – differences between the groups of children.

Reference:

Zika-exposed children may display neurodevelopmental differences; JOURNAL- Pediatric Research.