Parental practices and knowledge: an associative study on children’s motor skills acquisitions

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate the associations between caregivers practices and knowledge and the motor performance of children from zero to two years of age. 53 children were assessed with the Peabody Developmental Motor Scale-2. Their family members answered the Knowledge of Infant Development Inventory, the Daily Activities of Infant Scale, and the questionnaire of the Brazilian Association of Research. Significant correlations were identified between motor performance and length (p=0.001) and current weight of the child (p=0.005). Regarding parenting practices, significant correlations were observed between the motor performance and with the child’s postures during feeding (p≤0.002), bathing (p≤0.001), changes of clothes (p=0.024), sleep (p=0.035), being held (p=0.001), as well as with quiet (p=0.003) and active (p=0.024) play, and outside activities (p=0.004). The regression analysis showed significant model with changes in postures during feeding and child cleaning and change as well as the active play explained 79% of variance of motor performance (p<0.001). Opportunities to change postures during feeding, hygiene routine, active play, impact the acquisition of more sophisticated motor skills in the first two years of life.

KEYWORDS Motor skills; Health knowledge, attitudes, practice; Child