RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH MOTOR DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN WITH MICROCEPHALY: A LITERATURE REVIEW WITH AN EMPHASIS ON EARLY STIMULATION

Abstract

This article aimed to examine the risk of motor delay in children with microcephaly. It is a literature review based on a survey of online journals from the following databases: Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO), and Google Scholar. The search utilized the following descriptors: early stimulation, child, and microcephaly. Selection criteria included scientific articles addressing the topic, available in full text, written in Portuguese, and published between 2012 and 2022. The sample consisted of seven publications that strictly met the criteria relevant to the guiding research question. The results indicate that individuals with microcephaly caused by the Zika virus exhibit significant delays in neuropsychomotor development due to visual, auditory, and sensory impairments, which can affect their functional independence and social inclusion. Therefore, the use of early stimulation during the first years of life is both valid and effective.