OBJECTIVES: To investigate the occurrence of delayed neuropsychological and motor development in a community assisted through the Family Health Program and to evaluate its association with possible biological, environmental and socioeconomic risk factors. METHODS: The sample consisted of 31 five-year-old children who were evaluated using the Neurological Development Test, following guidelines proposed by Coelho (1999)*. The study was carried out at the Family Health Program (FHP) center in the Brasilit area of Recife, PE, Brazil. Data were collected using a questionnaire that sought information on the child, its mother/guardian, the family's socioeconomic status and residence. Fisher's exact test was used for the statistical analysis of the results, with a significance level of 5%. RESULTS: Appendicular coordination was the parameter with the highest frequency of deficits (90%) and static balance was the item least compromised (12.9%). The frequency of static balance deficits was higher among children who did not attend day care centers (p=0.0163) and among those who spent less time with their mother (p=0.0278). Motor persistence deficits were statistically associated with age of entry into day care (p=0.0415) and father-child time (p=0.0436). CONCLUSIONS: The FHP was not only a valuable setting for developing studies of this nature but also an appropriate setting for child development follow-up.
child development; risk factors; Family Health Program; motor activity