The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently released a study on the first babies born with brain damage from the Zika virus. Now that these children are becoming 2-year olds, we are learning that the most severely affected are falling behind in their development and will require a lifetime of care.
The report shows what they learned after studying 19 children with microcephaly (small head size for age) and evidence of congenital Zika virus. Investigators found that, of the 19 children:
• 11 had indications of possible seizure disorder
• 10 had sleep difficulties
• 9 had feeding difficulties, such as trouble swallowing
• 13 had hearing problems and 11 had vision problems, such as not responding to the sound of a rattle and not being able to follow a moving object with their eyes
• 15 had severe motor impairments, including the inability to sit independently
• 14 had at least three of these challenges
• 8 had to be hospitalized, with bronchitis/pneumonia being the most common reason
In the continental U.S., 98 infants have been born with Zika-associated birth defects, and there have been 9 pregnancy loses with Zika-associated birth defects. The CDC is currently following nearly 7,000 pregnant women with evidence of Zika infection in the U.S. and its territories.
This problem with the Zika virus is not going away and you need to learn how to protect yourself. We strongly recommend that you go onto the CDC’s website for more information – especially if you are planning on having children.
