ABSTRACT
Early intervention based on parental activities promotes cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development, which are determinants for the child’s health. However, studies about early intervention with parental education are scarce. The objective of this study was to analyze the effect of parental intervention in the motor development of infants. This is a case series, longitudinal, and interventional study, with 100 infants at risk, aged 0-18 months. Motor development of infants was assessed by the Alberta Infant Motor Scale, and the parents received information about positioning and exercises depending on the child’s motor score. Risk factors were not related to infants’ motor development. However, these risk factors were related to gestational age, which was related to motor development. After parental early intervention, the sample frequency increased from 45% to 69% in the group of children with normal motor development. Frequency was reduced from 55% to 31% in the group with delayed development. Prenatal and/or perinatal risk factors can cause prematurity, and consequently, delays in children’s motor development. For these infants, early intervention protocols with parental education are effective to stimulate a normal motor development of children at risk in follow-up in outpatient clinics.
Keywords:
Child Development; Risk Factors; Motor Activity
