Rehabilitation Practices Delivered by Physical and Occupational Therapists to Brazilian Children With Congenital Zika Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) is a health condition that has affected the development of thousands of children in Brazil. Because it is a new condition, its understanding is an ongoing process. Therefore, it is important to know the rehabilitation interventions being delivered to improve the functioning of these children. We aimed to describe the practices of physical therapists (PTs) and occupational therapists (OTs) who provide follow-up care for children with CZS in Brazil. This cross-sectional study included PTs and OTs who assist children with CZS in Brazil. An online questionnaire was used to verify the participants' personal characteristics and professional work environment, as well as the rehabilitation programs they implemented in Brazil for children with CZS. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 116 professionals (79 PT and 37 OT) who work mainly in public health services (81.9%) participated in the study. Of these, 24.1% plan interventions based on reading scientific articles, 66.4% did not report using the biopsychosocial model, 52.6% do not perform any assessments before starting an intervention, 31.9% use neurodevelopmental treatment, and 22.4% use sensorimotor stimulation interventions. The majority of the interventions are delivered 1 to 2 times a week, lasting up to 1 hour. Professional training and knowledge translation strategies are needed to implement evidence-based practices and improve the quality of rehabilitation programs for Brazilian children with CZS.