This article presents a research about the behavior development of 21 preterm babies (between 33 and 36 weeks of pregnancy), from 1 to 12 months old, at the Hospital of the University of São Paulo, in Brazil, using the Child Behavior Development Scale - CBDS. The results showed that the preterm infants had an important improvement in the behavior development rhythm after the 3rd month of age, reducing in a statistically significant way the behaviors with pathological signs, but maintaining risk factors in 23% of non-normalized behaviors at 12 months of age. This study provides elements that can help the follow-up of the behavior development process of these children and the early detection of delays or possible disorders in that process.
Development; behavior; scale; baby; infant; preterm
