OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the neuropsychomotor development of babies with slight malnutrition and to characterize their nutritional profile. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional survey on a population of 374 babies and a sample of 31 babies with slight malnutrition, aged between 7 and 24 months, enrolled in municipal day nurseries. Their nutritional status was identified using the Gómez criteria and characterized using a questionnaire. For the neuropsychomotor evaluation, the Brunet and Lézine Psychomotor Development Scale for Early Infancy was utilized. RESULTS: The main data from the questionnaire were: respiratory infections (48.4%); diarrhea (71.0%); parents in stable union (61.3%); parents with incomplete basic education (74.2% of mothers; 83.8% of fathers); family income between 1 and 3 minimum salaries (80.6%); satisfactory breast feeding (67.7%); and adverse reaction to some food (41.9%). Among the neuropsychomotor data, the mean ages for language development (14.45 months) and social development (14.74 months) were the measurements furthest behind the mean chronological age (16.41 months). All the characteristics evaluated had development quotients within normal values. However, the language and social characteristics were classified as "low normal" and the others as "medium normal". CONCLUSIONS: Neuropsychomotor evaluation is an essential instrument in caring for malnourished babies, who tend to present deficiencies in language and sociability. This provides backing for observation of such children's exploratory actions (the consequences of their thoughts) and to plan interventionist work.
neuropsychomotor development; babies; malnutrition
