O CUIDADO À CRIANÇA COM SÍNDROME CONGÊNITA ASSOCIADA À INFECÇÃO PELO ZIKA VÍRUS

Abstract

In 2015 there was an unexpected and disproportionate increase in the number of live births with microcephaly in Brazil, which was later associated with Zika virus infection. The Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome can manifest itself with malformations and distinct clinical alterations that demand permanent care because it is a chronic condition. Care must prioritize individual needs in order to alleviate daily difficulties and promote a favorable environment for child development, which contributes to the quality of life of children and their families. This study aims to understand how health professionals perceive the care of children with Congenital Syndrome associated with Zika virus infection. This is a descriptive-exploratory study with a qualitative approach, carried out with health professionals working in a Specialized Rehabilitation Center of the Association of Parents and Friends of the Exceptional, located in a capital in the Brazilian Midwest. Data were collected from September to October 2020, through semi-structured interviews, audio-recorded and submitted to Content Analysis, thematic modality. The 12 participants were aged between 26 and 46 years (mean 35.6 years), being 11 female, four physical therapists, four occupational therapists, two psychologists, a social worker and a nutritionist. The time since graduation ranged from three to 18 years (average of 11.6 years) and working time at the institution from 11 months to nine years (average of 5.3 years). Among the professionals, 10 declared to have some specialization. It was observed that the construction of care for children with the syndrome and their families occurs through actions guided by the dimension of biopsychosocial aspects that involve coping with a chronic condition, associated with the use of assessment instruments and tools such as the Singular Therapeutic Project in care management. Furthermore, the professionals highlighted some practical strategies to enhance the continuity of care, such as the optimization of the regulatory system and greater integration between the different points of health care, in order to overcome barriers to access and follow-up care in the Network of Health Care. In addition to the care scenarios that make up the network, health professionals seek to promote the continuity of care in the home environment with actions based on the recognition of influential elements in this care context, with supportive interventions and in conjunction with families. It is concluded that, for professionals, care is the result of interventions aimed at the child's development, which mainly include actions that favor the continuity of care by the family in the home environment, in addition to the way in which the Health Care Network is organizes and operationalizes itself to break down barriers to access, follow-up and comprehensive care.