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