WHAT REHABILITATION PRACTICES ARE BEING DELIVERED FOR CHILDREN WITH CONGENITAL ZIKA SYNDROME? A MAPPING STUDY
Knowledge Translation; Congenital Zika Syndrome; Microcephaly; Physiotherapy; Occupational therapy International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).
Introduction: Currently, more than 3 thousand children diagnosed with Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) should receive rehabilitation follow-up in specialized, public and private services throughout Brazil, however, it is not known whether the interventions used are based on scientific evidence, and whether the model of care provided to children with CZS considers the use of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). In this sense, the study aimed to map the current rehabilitation practices performed in children with CZS by physiotherapy and occupational therapy professionals in Brazil. Method: Cross-sectional study conducted through an online questionnaire addressed to professionals who provide assistance to children with CZS. Subsequently, the data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: One hundred and sixteen rehabilitation professionals (76 physiotherapists and 37 occupational therapists) participated in the study, most of whom were female physiotherapists, with more than 10 years of experience in treating children. In total, 56% reported using scientific evidence to guide their intervention. As for the type of treatment, Bobath was the intervention most cited by physical therapists (n = 22) and Sensory Integration (n = 9) by occupational therapists. Still, 66.4% of the professionals stated that they did not consider the ICF during the assessment and intervention of the children. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that knowledge translation and professional training strategies may be necessary to implement evidence-based practices to ensure improved quality of care for children with CZS.