Objetivo: Comparar a qualidade de vida, a percepção da saúde e renda entre famílias com e sem risco socioeconômico durante a pandemia da COVID-19. Métodos: Participaram deste estudo transversal 41 mães de lactentes nascidos a termo saudáveis (≥ 37 semanas), as quais foram subdivididas em dois grupos: 1) de risco socioeconômico (G-R); e 2) sem risco socioeconômico (G-SR). A qualidade de vida foi mensurada por meio do instrumento World Health Organization Quality of Life-Bref (WHOQOL-Bref). A percepção da saúde e renda mensal foi mensurada por meio de um questionário elaborado pelos autores. Resultados: Foi encontrada diferença significativa entre os grupos G-R e G-SR para o domínio meio ambiente (p= 0,001) no WHOQOL-Bref. A percepção sobre a saúde durante a pandemia da COVID-19 de mães do G-R foi entre boa (52,6%) e regular (36,8%) enquanto a maioria das mães no G-SR avaliou a saúde como boa (81,8%). Das famílias sem risco socioeconômico, 59% precisaram recorrer ao auxílio do governo enquanto que a maioria das famílias de baixo NSE (89,5%) foi beneficiada com o auxílio emergencial do governo. Conclusões: Famílias de baixo nível socioeconômico apresentaram pior qualidade de vida no que diz respeito ao domínio meio ambiente, pior percepção sobre a saúde, e renda familiar diminuída quando comparadas com famílias sem risco socioeconômico.

Parental practices and environmental factors can impact a child’s development and, consequently, functionality. The objective is to assess the parental practices and environmental differences in healthy and at-risk infants at 3–6 months of age living in upper-middle (Brazil) and high-income (Italy) countries. A total group of 115 infants was identified and classified into four groups: healthy Italian infants (H_IT); Italian infants exposed to biological risk factors (R_IT); healthy Brazilian infants (H_BR); and Brazilian infants exposed to environmental risk factors (L_BR). The dependent variables were parental practices and environmental factors, which were assessed through a semi-structured interview and the “variety of stimulation dimension” from the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development—Infant Scale (AHEMD-IS) questionnaire. Descriptive analyses, a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and correlation tests were applied. Regarding the environment and parental practices, the mother’s age, maternal and paternal education, civil status, and variety of stimulation showed significant differences among the infants living in Brazil or in Italy. There were strong dissimilarities in parental practices and environmental factors among infants living in low/upper-middle and high-income countries. Since the home environment is the main stimulus for infant growth and development, our results are meaningful for providing knowledge about these two different cultures.

The aim of this study is to describe the caregivers and physical therapists’ perceptions of telehealth strategies in two cases of infants with Down syndrome during the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. Methodology: The physical therapy intervention program was carried out using synchronous and asynchronous methods according to the social context of each family. Results: The telehealth strategies were positively evaluated by caregivers and physical therapists. Conclusion: The study concluded that telehealth has promoted satisfactory results in infants' physiotherapeutic monitoring, and it could be an additional tool for early intervention after the pandemic.

Children raised in socioeconomically disadvantaged environments experience poorer health outcomes than their more advantaged peers. Evidence examining infancy, a period of intense neuroplasticity, remains limited. To identify (i) the specific domains of motor development and the assessment time points during follow-up in which infants exposed to poverty score lower than their non-exposed peers; and (ii) contextual risk factors associated with atypical motor development. This prospective, longitudinal study included 50 infants exposed to poverty (Exposed Group, EG) and 38 infants not exposed. Motor development was assessed using the Infant Motor Profile (IMP). Multiple linear and logistic regressions with backward selection were conducted with Generalized Estimating Equations. At six months, EG infants had significantly lower scores in variation, fluency, and total IMP. At seven months, they showed significantly lower scores in fluency. The main risk factor for atypical motor development was male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 2.57; 95 % confidence interval [95 % CI]: 1.28-5.17) and single-parent status (OR = 1.23; 95 % CI: 1.08-1.75). Protective factors included a higher number of fine motor toys (OR = 0.84; 95 % CI: 0.74-0.97) and age at time of assessment. Older infants demonstrated a higher IMP score (OR = 0.34; 95 % CI: 0.24-0.49) as part of the expected developmental progression. Six months may represent a sensitive period for motor development among infants exposed to poverty. Cohabiting caregivers and access to fine motor toys appear to be protective factors against atypical variation, indicator associated with central nervous system impairments.

Purpose: To present the strategies used and the effects of early physiotherapy intervention using telehealth on a Down syndrome infant. Materials and methods: An infant diagnosed with Down syndrome performed the early intervention. Telehealth was performed synchronously according to the biopsychosocial model The assessments were carried out using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health checklist. The Alberta Infant Motor Scale and the Brazilian version of the Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development - Infant scale were used to assess the activity component and environmental factors, respectively. Evaluations were performed at 5, 50, 79, and 105 days of corrected age. Results: The infant obtained progressive and constant gains during 100 days of early intervention. It is known that environmental and personal factors interfere with the performance of the infant's skills. Conclusion: Early intervention initiated in the first month of life using telehealth in an infant with Down syndrome proved an effective intervention method.

Este estudo teve por objetivo verificar os affordances, o desempenho motor, o nível do controle de tronco e a influência entre esses em lactentes que se encontram na emergência do sentar. Participaram 3 lactentes saudáveis, de ambos os sexos, que se encontravam na emergência do sentar. Foram avaliados os affordances aos quais os lactentes foram expostos pela versão brasileira do questionário Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development-Infant Scale (AHEMD-IS). O desempenho motor foi mensurado pelo Infant Motor Profile (IMP) e o controle de tronco pela Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo). Os lactentes obtiveram cerca de 20 pontos no questionário AHEMD-IS, percentil 80 para o escore total do IMP, e controle de tronco estático em nível torácica baixa, ativo em torácica média e o reativo em torácica alta constatados pela SATCo. Sugere-se que há influência do ambiente no desempenho motor e controle postural dos lactentes, desta forma a estimulação e intervenção precoce são essenciais nos primeiros meses de idade.