Cases of microcephaly — a neurological disorder that may be linked to the untreatable Zika virus — have grown rapidly in Brazil in the past year. There have been over 4,400 reported cases in Brazil since October. (Of those, only about500 have been confirmed thus far, with many more cases still being investigated).
Microcephaly is a condition where a baby's head is smaller than the typical size — about 33 cm — of a newborn. This means that the baby's brain is underdeveloped, which can cause many different issues, such as severe developmental problems, frequent seizures, and psychomotor impairment.
Caring for a child with microcephaly can be difficult. They require many doctor's appointments, physical therapy, and other treatments.
Here's what it's like to care for and treat a newborn with microcephaly.
Microcephaly is a lifelong condition.
A newborn baby already needs around-the-clock care — but one born with microcephaly may need intensive care, depending on the severity.
A newborn with microcephaly needs frequent examinations and diagnostic tests by a doctor to monitor the growth of his or her head.
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