The Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus of the Flaviridae family, which brought many repercussions for causing microcephaly in newborns (NBs) of mothers who became ill during the gestational period. Neurological findings and alterations presented in the neuropsychomotor development of these children characterized Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome (SCZ), including delay in motor, cognitive, and speech development, visual and auditory alterations, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy. Among the main neurological findings are described severe microcephaly with cortical atrophy and malformations. So far, it is known that the delay in the NPMD of children will depend on the degree of CNS injury and in what gestational age period the infection occurred. In this sense, the earlier the intervention measures are applied to these children, the smaller the impacts on their development and future lives.

To evaluate the motor and functional characteristics of children exposed in the intrauterine period to ZIKV.

Cross-sectional study with 16 children aged between 6 and 36 months of both sexes, residents of Pará state, exposed to ZIKV infection during pregnancy and evaluated by the Zika Project Physiotherapy team, developed at the IEC. Strength was assessed by Medical Research Council (MRC) scale and muscle tone using the modified Ashworth scale (ASW). In addition, the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS), the Mini-Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), developed to assess the ability to handle objects during activities of daily living, and were apllied the Pediatric Assessment of Disability Inventory (PEDI).

In muscle strength, 11 children (68.75%) shown preserved strength. Regarding muscle tone of MMSS and LL, all were characterized as normotonic. On the GMFCS scale, of the 16 children assessed, 10 (62.5%) had level 1; Two (12.5%) had level 2; Three (18.75%) had level 5, and 1 (6.25%) was not specified. Of the 16 participants evaluated by the MACS scale, 10 (62.5%) obtained grade 1; 4 (25%) achieved grade 5, and 1 (6.25%) was not specified. Furthermore, the lowest averages obtained through the PEDI scale were in the Self-Care item (21.68) and in the Social Function item, whose average was 9.56.

Children exposed to ZIKV during pregnancy, despite preserved tone and strength, have impaired gross motor function and poor performance in activities involving social function and self-care.

Research shows that exposure to ZIKV during the gestational period requires attention and care for the early detection of motor deficits and oriented instructions to improve self-care and socialization.