Gross motor performance and its association with neonatal and familial factors and day care exposure among children up to three years old

Objective: To analyze gross motor performance and its association with neonatal and familial factors and day care exposure among children up to three years of age attending public day care centers. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that evaluated 145 children (58 aged 6-11 months, 54 aged 12-23 months and 33 aged 24-38 months) attending six public day care centers in Piracicaba, State of Sao Paulo. The Peabody Developmental Motor Scale-2 test was used to assess overall gross motor performance and the motor subtests that make up the scale (reflexes, stationary skills, locomotion skills and object manipulation). Neonatal, familial and daycare center exposure data were also collected and their association with suspected delays in gross motor performance was investigated. Results: The prevalence of suspected delays in gross motor performance was 17%, with disadvantages among children under 24 months of age and with regard to locomotion skills. There were associations of risk between suspected delays in gross motor performance and family income, and between suspected delays in locomotion skills and parental educational level. Children whose families had a monthly income of up to 700 reais were 2.81 times more likely to present delays in gross motor performance. Children whose parents had up to eight years of education were 4.63 times more likely to present delays in locomotion skills. There was no association of risk with the other variables. Conclusion: The results indicate the need for greater attention to motor development during the first 24 months of children who attend day care centers, especially those with low-income and less-educated parents.