Abstract: Introduction: In some Amazonian river basins, hair mercury concentration is above the recommended levels. We evaluated the influence of birth geographical location in the hair mercury level of Amazonian riverine children. Materials and Methods: Hair mercury concentration was measured in 219 children living in four Amazonian riverine communities: Tapajós River (São Luiz do Tapajós and Barreiras villages, n = 110), Tocantins River (Limoeiro do Ajurú village, n = 61), and Caeté River (Caratateua village, n = 48). We used Poisson regression analysis to evaluate the association between native and non-native children from each village and its hair mercury concentration. Results: Higher mercury exposure was found in native children from São Luiz do Tapajós (range = 0.81-22.38 µg/g) followed by native children from Barreiras (range = 0.48-13.46 µg/g), non-native children from São Luiz do Tapajós (range = 0.26-22.18 µg/g), non-native children from Barreiras (range = 0.43-20.76 µg/g), followed by the children from Caeté and Tocantins river basins. We observed that Tapajós villages’ native children had higher prevalence of mercury exposure children than other children (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Birth geographical location has association to mercury levels in the hair of children who lived in a same community with history of mercury exposure.

A paralisia cerebral (PC) é um conjunto de desordens posturais e do movimento que causam limitações funcionais; é atribuída a distúrbios não-progressivos, porém mutáveis, decorrentes de lesão do cérebro imaturo. Os objetivos do estudo foram identificar as dimensões funcionais comprometidas e observar a evolução da função motora grossa de crianças com PC submetidas a tratamento multidisciplinar em um intervalo de quatro meses. A amostra foi composta por 27 crianças com PC (média de idade 7,6 anos) que freqüentavam a Associação Pestalozzi de Goiânia, GO. O nível de comprometimento das crianças foi atribuído segundo o sistema de classificação da função motora grossa GMFCS (Gross motor function classification system); a medida de função motora grossa GMFM (Gross motor function measure) foi aplicada no início do estudo e após quatro meses. Os resultados mostram que 55,6% das crianças estavam nos níveis IV e V do GMFCS; foi verificada evolução da função motora grossa em todas as dimensões avaliadas pela GMFM, exceto na postura sentada - sugerindo que as transferências de postura e a locomoção devem ser focalizadas no tratamento multidisciplinar dessas crianças com CP.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is described as a set of postural and movement disorders that cause functional limitations; it is assigned to non-progressive, changeable disorders due to immature brain injury. The purpose of the study was to assess functional dimensions affected and the evolution over a four-month period of gross motor function of children with CP undergoing multidisciplinary treatment. The sample was made up by 27 children (mean age 7.6 years) who attended the Pestalozzi Association of Goiania, GO. Severity level was assessed by the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS); the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) was applied at study onset and four months later. Results show that 55.6% of children were in GMFCS levels IV and V; children showed a positive gross motor function evolution in all GMFM dimensions, except in the skills at the sitting position - suggesting that position changes and locomotion should be focussed in multidisciplinary treatment of these children with CP.