Family-Centered Early Intervention Program for Brazilian Infants with Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Aims: To evaluate the effects of a 16-week program based on Goals-Activity-Motor Enrichment (GAME) principles on infants with congenital Zika virus syndrome (CZS)’s mother report of functional goal achievement, motor and cognitive abilities, home enrichment, and parents’ perceptions regarding the service provided. Methods: Quasi-experimental study with infants (n = 32) with CZS and their mothers. Twenty-two infants composed the GAME-based group and 10 were included in the control group. The primary outcome measure was the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure. Secondary outcome measures were the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development-Infant Scale, and the Measure of Processes of Care. All measures were performed by blinded assessors. Results: Mothers of infants in the GAME-based group reported significant improvements in their infants’ performance on functional priorities (p = 0.0001) and satisfaction with their infants’ performance (p = 0.0001), the extent in which services promoted enabling and partnership (p = 0.021), provided general information (p = 0.039), specific information (p = 0.0001), and an enriched home environment (p = 0.0001). Infants in both groups did not improve in motor or cognitive abilities. Conclusions: A family-centered early intervention program based on GAME principles improved mothers’ individualized outcomes and enriched infants with CZS’s environment. Future studies should elucidate long-term benefits of interventions for this population.

Keywords:

• Family
• goals
• infants
• intervention
• occupational therapy
• physical therapy
• speech therapy
• Zika virus

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the parents and children’s volunteer participation, therapists from Núcleo de Tratamento e Estimulação Precoce (NUTEP) involved in the conduction of intervention and assessment procedures, and Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC), Fortaleza, Brazil. Acknowledgements are also given to Francisca Maria Andrade, from United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) who facilitated the conduction of the program and Catherine Morgan, who provided supplemental material with information from GAME’s intervention program.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – Brasil (CAPES) – Finance Code 001 and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) – Grant [SC140196].

Notes on contributors

Marina de Brito Brandão

Marina B. Brandão is PhD, Adjunct Professor of Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil.

Lêda Maria da Costa Pinheiro Frota

Leda M. C. Frota is a Doctoral Student, Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, UFMG, Coordinator at Núcleo de Tratamento e Estimulação Precoce (NUTEP), Brazil.

José Lucivan Miranda

José Lucivan Miranda is MSc, MD, Director of NUTEP and Adjunct Professor of Department of Maternal and Child Health, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Brazil.

Rita Maria Cavalcante Brasil

Rita M. Brasil is MSc, MD, President of NUTEP, Brazil.

Marisa Cotta Mancini

Marisa C. Mancini is ScD, Full Professor of Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, UFMG, Brazil.