First Look At How Zika Babies Are Faring As They Grow Up Is Sobering In Breadth Of Health Problems
About one out of every seven babies who were exposed to Zika in the womb have health complications, with some of the problems emerging well after birth. “We are still early in the Zika story, and we still have lot to learn about how these children will grow and develop,” said Margaret Honein, director of the CDC’s Division of Congenital and Developmental Disorders.
The Associated Press:
Study: 1 In 7 Children Of Zika-Infected Moms Have Problems
One out of every seven babies born to U.S. mothers who were infected with Zika during pregnancy developed some kind of health problem, according to the first long-term look at those children. Tuesday's study focused on the children of women in Puerto Rico and other territories, where most of the U.S. cases were seen when the disease swept across the Americas more than two years ago. (Stobbe, 8/7)
The Washington Post:
1 In 7 Babies Exposed To Zika In U.S. Territories Have Birth Defects, Nervous System Problems
The data analyzed come from a registry of 1,450 children in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands whose mothers were confirmed through lab tests to have been exposed to Zika while pregnant. Six percent of the children suffered from birth defects such as small head size and brain and eye damage. Nine percent had at least one neurodevelopmental issue such as seizures or difficulty swallowing. And 1 percent had both. Margaret Honein, director of the CDC’s Division of Congenital and Developmental Disorders, said in an interview that there appeared to be a wide range of outcomes, with some children more affected than others. She said that some of the children born with severe microcephaly — or a smaller-than-normal head size — do in fact have major impairments, as doctors had feared. (Cha, 8/7)
The Wall Street Journal:
Zika’s Long-Term Toll Is Heavy For Children
The results “could be an underestimate” of Zika’s impact because many children born to mothers infected with Zika haven’t had follow-up medical care reported, said Peggy Honein, director of the CDC’s Division of Congenital and Developmental Disorders and senior author of the report. Public-health officials are tracking children born to infected mothers to better understand the medical needs they will have and care they will require, Dr. Honein said. (McKay, 8/7)
Reuters:
Zika Exposure Before Birth Could Cause Health Issues In Babies-CDC
Some babies exposed to the Zika virus before birth may face health problems related to the mosquito-borne illness, U.S. officials said on Tuesday, providing guidance for couples planning pregnancies. About 14 percent, or one in seven babies among 1,450 infants, had one or more health problems possibly caused by Zika, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a report. (Joseph, 8/7)
Stat:
1 In 7 Babies Exposed To Zika In Womb Have Health Problems, CDC Reports
As children exposed to the virus during pregnancy start to get older, researchers have started to tease out how common these secondary neurodevelopmental problems may be — and how they can occur even if babies appeared fine at birth. (Joseph, 8/7)
NPR:
Babies Who Seem Fine At Birth May Have Zika-Related Problems Later, Study Finds
"We're beginning to see the full spectrum of the impact of Zika," says Margaret Honein, director of the Division of Congenital and Developmental Disorders at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC released the study Tuesday. "This is really our first look at how these children are doing as they grow and develop, and really emphasizes that the Zika story is not over, particularly for these children," Honein says. (Stein, 8/7)
Los Angeles Times:
For Zika-Exposed Babies, Trouble May Emerge In Their First Year
Microcephaly — a smaller-than-usual head size -- has emerged as a hallmark of Zika exposure in babies. But in many babies whose mothers were infected by the Zika virus during pregnancy, follow-up care revealed health issues that were less immediately evident, including brain and eye damage, vision and hearing abnormalities and nervous system problems such as seizures. Many of those babies had appeared healthy at birth, and only as the babies grew older did those abnormalities become evident. (Healy, 8/7)
The Hill:
1 In 7 Babies Exposed To Zika Have Birth Defects, Other Health Problems: CDC
The new study also shows many of the children exposed to Zika have not had the checkups recommended by the CDC. While 95 percent of the 1,450 babies had checkups within two weeks of age, only 36 percent received an exam by an eye specialist. "Because the full spectrum of adverse outcomes related to congenital Zika virus infection is not yet known, careful monitoring and evaluation of children born to mothers with laboratory evidence of confirmed or possible Zika virus infection during pregnancy is essential for ensuring early detection of possible disabilities and early referral to intervention services that might improve outcomes," the report said. (Hellmann, 8/7)
PBS NewsHour:
CDC Says 1 In 7 Babies Exposed To Zika Have Health Problems
Prior studies showed that about 6 percent of Zika-exposed babies are born with congenital birth defects, which is 30 times the normal rate. But until now, no study has reported on other developmental problems caused by Zika at this scale. (Grennell, 8/7)
Miami Herald:
Zika Virus Caused Health Problems In Babies, CDC Says
Gonzalez said parents and pediatricians who ignore follow-up care for children possibly exposed to Zika before birth risk missing early detection and interventions that could minimize the long-term effects of developmental problems, such as problems with vision, hearing and movement of their arms and legs. Often, Gonzalez said, those problems may not become apparent until infants begin to miss developmental milestones, such as sitting up at 6 months, pulling up to stand at 9 months and walking at 1 year old. (Chang, 8/7)
