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ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the perceptions of mothers and health professionals about the dog-assisted therapy for children with congenital Zika Virus syndrome. Method: Qualitative, descriptive-exploratory research, with six mothers of children with congenital Zika Virus syndrome and six health professionals. Data were obtained at a Brazilian Specialized rehabilitation center in Paraíba, through semi-structured interviews, between February and October 2019. The empirical material was subjected to Inductive Thematic Analysis and interpreted using the Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory. Results: Dog-Assisted Therapy allowed the enhancement of skills that were previously not performed by children, such as: spontaneous hand opening, head control, improved social interaction, reduction of seizure episodes and disruption of spasticity patterns. Final considerations: Dog-Assisted Therapy was perceived as qualified, humanized and satisfactory support for the evolution of the neuropsychomotor development of children with congenital Zika Virus syndrome.

Abstract Objective: evaluate the functional performance and technical quality of the Wise Infant Development® educational software with experts. Method: methodological research that followed the software evaluation process according to the ISO/IEC 25010 and NBR ISO-IEC 14598-6 standards. The software’s functional performance was assessed by a group of nurse experts and its technical quality by information technology experts. The Content Validity Index and the Binomial test were used for statistical analysis. Results: in both expert groups, agreement was greater than 70%, indicating that the software is suitable and pertinent to what was proposed in all its evaluated characteristics: functional suitability, reliability, usability, performance efficiency, compatibility, security, maintainability, and portability. The technology received suggestions for improvement, which were accepted. Conclusion: the Wise Infant Development® software was well evaluated by the experts and could contribute to teaching about infant development, both in undergraduate nursing courses and in professional training.

ABSTRACT Objectives: to comprehend men’s perception of paternal parenthood while caring for infants to promote child development. Methods: this qualitative study adopts an exploratory approach and was conducted with undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and staff who are fathers of infants up to 6 months old from a higher education institution, excluding fathers from mononuclear families. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews and was analyzed using thematic categorical analysis. Results: fifteen men participated in the study. From the analysis, two empirical categories emerged: “Perception of being a father: challenges and novelties” and “Promotion of child development: actions carried out by fathers”. Fathers revealed feeling unprepared, the need for emotional support, and recognized activities aimed at their children’s development. Final Considerations: the relevance of the paternal figure for child development is highlighted, as well as the need for public policies to encourage paternal parenthood.

ABSTRACT Purpose: to characterize the practices of speech-language-hearing pathologists in Chile, regarding speech perception assessment in children and adolescents. Methods: an exploratory cross-sectional study carried out using a self-administered online survey to investigate knowledge and quantify trends in the practice of speech perception assessment, based on six focus groups with speech-language-hearing pathologists. The instrument was disseminated through the researchers’ social media and contact networks. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed. Results: a total of 121 people responded to the survey, all of them being speech-language-hearing pathologists. These professionals, in Chile, highly value speech perception in child development, however, a large percentage of them do not assess it. Those who carry it out, reported a wide range of assessment practices. Conclusion: the results highlight the need for standardizing certain speech-language-hearing methods and the importance of understanding the assessment strategies in use to point out opportunities to improve both the assessment and subsequent therapeutic processes.

Animal-assisted pedagogy is well known in classroom practice, but scientific evidence of its impact on teaching and learning conditions is still lacking. At the same time, the biggest challenge in education systems worldwide is the social inclusion of students. In a pre–post design, 30 heterogeneous students (16 f/14 m) from four different school classes (grades 5–8) of two secondary schools and one grammar school were interviewed (in a problem-centered interview) about their social inclusion and their social climate in class before and after being taught selected subjects with a school dog for one school term. At the second measurement point, participants were also asked about their perception of animal-assisted pedagogy. The qualitative data analysis (Kuckartz) showed that the presence of a dog leads to an improved social climate, more social integration and to a change in social roles; therefore, we discussed our findings in the context of role theory (Krappmann). In addition, we found that the mutual perception of the other students and the teacher changes to a more positive and friendlier image. Through animal-assisted pedagogy, a new social role is added to the classroom, where caring and bonding are prioritized. Social interaction and norms are influenced and stereotypical and individual roles can be changed. Therefore, animal-assisted pedagogy can be key to promoting social inclusion in the school environment.

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify perceptions of primary care health professionals regarding the conceptual aspects of child development and propose strategies to address difficulties. Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in a small municipality in the countryside of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. The primary health care in this region is comprised of Family Health Units and Basic Health Units. The sample included 52 participants, consisting of doctors and primary care nurses. A questionnaire with open and closed questions was utilized, covering knowledge and practices related to child development. For this study, the first question of the questionnaire, which asked for a descriptive response about participants’ understanding of child development, was employed. The responses were transcribed, and content analysis using the thematic approach was conducted. Results: Among the participants, 54% were nurses, and the average duration of working with the pediatric population was ten years. 80% reported never having undergone training in child development. The analysis of the responses revealed heterogeneity in the professionals’ understanding of the conceptual dimension of child development. Additionally, there was an insufficient grasp of the theoretical and practical aspects and a scarcity of resources to support comprehensive care for children. A predominant biomedical model focusing on disease and biological aspects of child health was evident in defining the understanding of the subject. Conclusions: The findings underscore the necessity of implementing health education initiatives and service projects in primary care settings. It is crucial to strengthen a comprehensive perspective of child health within the biopsychosocial model of the health-disease process.

Abstract The Bayley scale is one of the most widely used instruments for assessing infant development. This article aimed to systematically review the contribution of the Bayley social-emotional scale in the assessment of social-emotional development in preterm infants. This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered in PROSPERO. According to the inclusion criteria, 19 articles were selected from electronic databases. The results indicate reduced rates in evaluating the scale for children with lower gestational age, birth weight, and the association with environmental, biological, and hospital clinical factors. However, no analysis was found between the axes that guide the social-emotional development milestones present in the Bayley assessment and the developmental outcomes of preterm children. Bayley’s social-emotional scale and other assessment methods can jointly compose a detailed and sensitive protocol for preterm infants regarding early childhood emotional health care.

Abstract: One of the most critical time periods in childhood is from birth to five years of age. Children exposed to alcohol and/or tobacco via family members and neighborhood are at risk for childhood developmental delays. This study evaluated the association of early childhood development with the prevalence of alcohol consumption and tobacco use in Mexican municipalities. This is a cross-sectional study. Early childhood development information from 2,345 children aged from 36 to 59 months was obtained from the 2015 Mexican National Survey of Boys, Girls, and Women (ENIM). Data on alcohol consumption and tobacco use come from the 2016 Mexican National Survey on Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco Consumption (ENCODAT). Multilevel logistic models were fitted to evaluate the association of the prevalence of alcohol consumption and tobacco use with the inadequacy of early childhood development. Children living in municipalities with high prevalence of alcohol consumption (OR = 13.410; 95%CI: 2.986; 60.240) and tobacco use (OR = 15.080; 95%CI: 2.040; 111.400) were less likely to be developmentally on track regarding early childhood development after adjustment for individual variables related to the child’s development and other environmental variables at municipal level. Childhood exposure to alcohol and tobacco in the neighborhood may directly contribute to inadequate early childhood development. These findings suggest that there is an urgent need to develop effective interventions aimed at reducing alcohol consumption and tobacco use in municipalities to ensure adequate early childhood development.

Childhood is a stage of discovery and exploration in which learning develops naturally. In this sense, games are essential because through these activities children get to know their environment, develop their skills and learn to interact. At the same time, toys allow them to face reality when they are tools that facilitate conflict resolution. For this research, a qualitative methodology was used, with an exploratory and descriptive scope. Additionally, a previous research was carried out to establish the design parameters of two electronic devices and their didactic strategies. Such devices are characterized as toys that can be used as elements to help stimulate logical thinking and facilitate the development of various abilities, such as attention, abstraction, memory, representation, symbolization and problem solving in children between five and seven years of age.

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the use of digital screens in early childhood, from the perspective of mothers and education professionals. Method: Qualitative study, based on Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory. Nine mothers of children under three years of age, enrolled in daycare centers in a municipality in the state of Paraíba, Brazil, and six education professionals who worked in these daycare centers participated. The data were collected between July and October 2021 via virtual interviews and analyzed according to inductive thematic analysis. Results: The restrictions imposed by the pandemic made screens the only available resource for children’s educational activities, interaction, leisure, and distraction, causing an exponential increase in the time they spent in front of screens. Conclusion: The pandemic had a direct impact on the use of digital screens in early childhood, increasing the child’s exposure time, according to parents and education professionals.

ABSTRACT Objectives: to analyze the development of children discharged from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and how hospitalization interferes with child development, from parents’ point of view. Methods: a descriptive-exploratory, documentary and qualitative study, carried out with parents of children discharged from the Intensive Care Unit through a telephone survey and supplementation in medical records. Data were analyzed using Bardin’s tool and discussed according to scientific evidence. Results: from parents’ point of view, delay in physical development was not observed, however difficulties in breastfeeding and weight gain were reported. Changes in speech and changes in behavior considered abnormal were also delays in child evolution. Final Considerations: from parents’ point of view, changes in speech may be associated with hospitalization in an Intensive Care Unit, while difficulties related to breastfeeding and delays in cognition may be altered by conditions of prematurity and low weight at birth.

ABSTRACT Purpose: to describe the perception of parents about the use of handheld screens by children and to prepare a booklet for the healthy use of these devices. Methods: 102 parents of children aged between 18 and 71 months answered a questionnaire on the use of screen. The analysis was a descriptive and non-parametric one. After assessing parents’ responses and reviewing the literature, the booklet was prepared. The material was made available to three judges for analysis and suggestions. Results: the use of portable screens by children was confirmed by most respondents, and some children spend two hours or more in front of them. Parents believe that screens are a source of stimuli for learning how to speak, but they are concerned about the reproduction of some characters’ inappropriate behavior and consumerism. The judges answered the questionnaire assigning maximum scores to most questions. The text of the booklet gathered information about how children learn to speak, clarified about time and content of screen use, and presented language stimulation strategies. Conclusion: parents' responses to the questionnaire, together with a review of studies on the subject and the judges' analyses, provided elements for the preparation of a booklet on the proper use of these devices.

ABSTRACT Objective: To identify the scientific evidence on the impacts caused by the use of screens during the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents, raising reflections for future interventions with this public. Data source: This is an integrative literature review, conducted in the databases Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Literatura Latino-Americana e do Caribe em Ciências da Saúde (LILACS), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), United States National Library of Medicine (PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase, published from March 2020 to January 2022, in Portuguese, English and Spanish. Data synthesis: The search strategies allowed retrieving 418 articles, of which 218 were duplicates. The analysis of titles and abstracts resulted in the maintenance of 62 studies. Of these, 31 were excluded from the reading of the full text, since they did not clearly present the phenomenon investigated. Thirty-one were eligible, resulting in five categories: eye consequences; increased sedentary behavior and weight; change in eating habits; implications for sleep quality and impacts on mental health. Conclusions: The excessive use of screens during the pandemic led to numerous consequences for children and adolescents, with a higher incidence of visual damage, sedentary lifestyle, inadequate eating habit and increased weight gain, in addition to impaired sleep quality and mental health. This study provides subsidy for health professionals to carry out continuing education focused on this theme, and elaborate effective interventions for this public in this transition to the post-pandemic period.

ABSTRACT The Alberta infant motor scale (AIMS) is an instrument for assessing the gross motor development of newborns, aged 0-18 months. This study aimed to summarize the Brazilian studies that used the AIMS and identify their objectives to know the main uses of the scale for professionals interested in child motor development. This is a bibliometric study on SciELO, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The searched keywords were “Alberta infant motor scale” and “Brazil,” with their equivalents in Portuguese and united by “AND.” Inclusion criteria were: use of AIMS with children aged 0-18 months carried out in Brazil. The variables database, journal, year of publication, language, region of the institution linked to the authors, and type of study were analyzed in a descriptive quantitative manner. Content analysis was performed on the objectives described in the articles. In total, 79 articles were included and most of them had a cross-sectional design and were linked to institutions in the South and Southeast regions. Furthermore, most studies were from the last 10 years and in English. The journal Fisioterapia e Pesquisa was the Brazilian journal that most published studies of the sample. The analyzed objectives were distributed into six word classes, with two large groups: psychometric validity (19.1%) and evaluative studies (80.9%). The latter considered the various child populations analyzed. We presented studies that used the AIMS to evaluate the motor development of Brazilian children, reinforcing the importance of this instrument in the national context and also encouraging its use.

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To assess risk factors associated with motor development delay at three months of age. METHODS Cross-sectional study with mothers and their three-month-old babies in Southern Brazil. The Bayley-III Scale of Infant and Toddler Development (BSID-III) and the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS) were used to assess motor development. RESULTS We evaluated 756 mothers and their three-month-old babies. The overall mean motor development assessed by the BSID-III and the AIMS was 104.7 (SD 13.5) and 55.4 (SD 25.4), respectively. When assessed by the BSID-III, the lowest motor development scores were among babies born by cesarean delivery (p = 0.002), prematurely (p < 0.001), and with low birth weight (p < 0.001). When assessed by the AIMS, babies born prematurely (p = 0.002) and with low birth weight (p=0.004) had the lowest motor development means. After a cluster analysis, we found that babies born by cesarean delivery, with low birth weight, and prematurely had more impaired motor development compared with children born without any risk factors. CONCLUSION Identifying risk factors allows the implementation of early interventions to prevent motor development delay and, therefore, reduce the probability of other future problems.

A growing body of literature reports the need for an integrated approach to study the effects of the physical environment on the neurodevelopment of children. Assessment of the true neurotoxicity of pollutants cannot be performed separately from the ecological and multidimensional contexts in which they act. In this study, from the perspective of the Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model, a conceptual model was developed that encompasses the social and biological characteristics of children from the gestational period to childhood, considering exposure to toxic metals. First, we present the toxicity of the main metals and some concept notions that we used in our framework, such as social and structural determinants of health, allostatic load, embodiment, and epigenetic concepts. Then, the main aspects of the Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model, which allow integration of the gene-social relationship in addition to the physical environment, where these metals act, are explained. Finally, we present and discuss the conceptual framework showing how, in real life, biological and social factors may together influence the neurodevelopment of children. Although this model is based on a group of contaminants, it opens new horizons on how environmental sciences, such as neurotoxicology and environmental epidemiology, can articulate with the theoretical models from human sciences to provide a broader approach to study the effects on human neurodevelopment.