{"id":107,"date":"2018-10-12T16:41:23","date_gmt":"2018-10-12T16:41:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/?p=107"},"modified":"2018-10-30T13:52:07","modified_gmt":"2018-10-30T13:52:07","slug":"helping-families-cope-with-zika-syndrome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/helping-families-cope-with-zika-syndrome\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping Families Cope with Zika Syndrome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Zika outbreaks in 2015 and 2016 grabbed headlines worldwide when evidence linked the virus to brain damage in babies whose mothers were infected while pregnant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Media attention waned along with the epidemic. But for families and caregivers of children living with congenital Zika syndrome, a neurological condition associated with cognitive and physical disabilities, the challenges are just beginning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Natalie Williams <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

“There is a need for early intervention programs in both the U.S. and abroad to address caregivers\u2019 functioning and well-being, which in turn can support children\u2019s development.\u201d<\/p>Natalie Williams<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese families face the typical stressors associated with parenting young children, and must also manage numerous challenges that are specific to their child\u2019s medical and developmental needs,\u201d said Nebraska early childhood researcher Natalie Williams. \u201cSupports that could help alleviate this burden and promote positive outcomes often are not easily accessible.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why Williams, assistant professor of child, youth and family studies, collaborates with Brazilian researchers at the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, or UFPRE, to develop targeted, low-cost programs to support these families. Her team is surveying about 50 caregivers of Zika-affected infants and toddlers. Researchers are identifying a high-risk group \u2013 caregivers with anxiety and depression \u2013 and interviewing them about their daily routines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re also mapping family and community systems to identify support sources in Brazil and how families use them. This information, along with the interviews, will guide the team in designing effective support programs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their findings also may apply to early intervention programs in the U.S., which often overlook caregiver support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cProviding support for children with disabilities is not a novel thing,\u201d Williams said. \u201cBut there is a need for early intervention programs in both the U.S. and abroad to address caregivers\u2019 functioning and well-being, which in turn can support children\u2019s development.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project is part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln\/Brazil Early Childhood Partnership, launched in 2016 to enhance the lives of young children and families through global interdisciplinary research collaboration. In November 2017, the Nebraska contingent traveled to Brazil to train graduate students at UFPRE and meet participating families. In April 2018, the Brazilian contingent came to Nebraska for strategic planning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project receives funding from the university and Brazil\u2019s Maria Cecilia Souto Vidigal Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Natalie Williams<\/em>\u201cNebraska has a rare combination of high expectations for excellence in research and teaching, and the support to help faculty meet these high expectations. It also offers unique resources and connections to become involved in international work.\u201d\n\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Zika outbreaks in 2015 and 2016 grabbed headlines worldwide when evidence linked the virus to brain damage in babies whose mothers were infected while pregnant. Media attention waned along with the epidemic. But for families and caregivers of children living with congenital Zika syndrome, a neurological condition associated with cognitive and physical disabilities, the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[79,65,78,80,76,82,75,77,74],"class_list":["post-107","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-children-and-families","tag-caregiver-support","tag-children-and-families","tag-early-childhood","tag-early-intervention","tag-international-collaboration","tag-maria-cecilia-souto-vidigal-foundation","tag-natalie-williams","tag-nebraska-brazil-early-childhood-partnership","tag-zika-syndrome"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=107"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":433,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/107\/revisions\/433"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/research.unl.edu\/annualreport\/2018\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}