Carroll, C. orcid.org/0000-0002-6361-6182, Booth, A. orcid.org/0000-0003-4808-3880, Campbell, F. et al. (1 more author) (2020) What are the implications of Zika Virus for infant feeding? A synthesis of qualitative evidence concerning Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) and comparable conditions. PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, 14 (10). e0008731. ISSN 1935-2727
Abstract
If a mother contracts the Zika Virus before or during pregnancy, then there is a risk of the child developing Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS). An infant can then experience problems feeding due to the specific physical and developmental consequences of Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS), such as microcephaly, dysphagia and an increased likelihood of choking. This qualitative evidence synthesis accesses direct and indirect evidence to inform WHO infant feeding guidelines. We conducted a qualitative evidence synthesis of the values and preferences of relevant stakeholders (e.g. pregnant women, mothers, family members and health practitioners) concerning infant (0–2 years) feeding in the presence of: 1) CZS (the‘direct evidence’); 2) severe disability and nonprogressive, chronic encephalopathies (‘indirect evidence’), which present with similar problems. Authors’ findings were extracted, synthesised using thematic synthesis techniques, and confidence in the findings were assessed using GRADE-CERQual. Six CZS-specific studies (all from Brazil) were included in the direct evidence, with a further eight indirect studies reporting feeding difficulties in infants with severe disability and nonprogressive, chronic encephalopathies. Included studies highlighted: breast-feeding represented the preference for all mothers in the studies in both reviews, and the inability to do so affected bonding between parents and child, and generated fear and anxiety relating to feeding choices, especially around the risks of choking and swallowing; the perception that health professionals were often unable to offer appropriate advice; the potential value of training; and a strong desire to achieve individual maternal autonomy in infant feeding decisions. Confidence in most findings ranged from low to moderate. The evidence base has limitations, but consistently reported that parents of children with feeding difficulties due to Congenital Zika Syndrome, or similar, need information, advice and counselling, and substantial emotional support. Parents perceive that these needs are often neither recognised nor satisfied; optimal feeding and support strategies for this population have not yet been identified.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 Carroll et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > School of Health and Related Research (Sheffield) > ScHARR - Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 04 Nov 2020 14:32 |
Last Modified: | 04 Nov 2020 14:32 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008731 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:167511 |