Family dynamics of children with congenital Zika syndrome in Petrolina, Pernambuco State, Brazil

Brazil witnessed a significant increase in the number of cases of microcephaly in infants born in the second semester of 2015. There were 162 cases in 2014, increasing to 1,608 in 2015. The condition is associated with impairments in various bodily functions, leading to limitations in infant development. This study aims to analyze the family dynamics of children with congenital Zika syndrome (CZS) in Petrolina, Pernambuco State. Data collection used consultation in patient charts and interviews with parents using a semi-structured script. A qualitative/quantitative approach was used, including all of the mothers and other family members accompanying children with CZS at the referral unit, the Amália Granja Alencar Clinic. Discourse analysis applied the content analysis technique. The results in the category “changes in daily living” for families of children with CZS were grouped into three subcategories: activities of daily living (ADL), financial and occupational impacts associated with the CZS diagnosis, and changes in the marital relationship after the diagnosis. The study showed that care for the child with CZS is mostly concentrated in women in the family, and that the diagnosis leads to significant changes in the family dynamics, with the child’s extensive dependence on the caregiver, increasing expenses, and work absenteeism.