Avaliação do desenvolvimento neuropsicomotor em escolares de primeira série e sua relação com o estado nutricional

Abstract

1. Livre Docente em Neurologia Infantil, Fundação Faculdade Federal de Ciências Médicas de Porto Alegre (FFFCMPA). 2. Acadêmica da FFFCMPA. 3. Livre Docente em Neurologia, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Abstract Objective: to investigate the neurological performance of el-ementary school students from the city of Porto Alegre, state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in order to assess the association of neurologi-cal development and nutritional status. Methods: we carried out an observational, analytical, and cross-sectional study on a random and proportional population sample selected out of all first-grade students (n=35,521) in the city of Porto Alegre for a total of 484 children, out of which 64.7% were enrolled in state public schools, 11.9% in city public schools, and 23.4% in private schools. Our sample size allowed for a precision of ± 3% (95% confidence interval) for an estimated prevalence of 10% of cortical dysfunction. Children were submitted to individual exami-nations at the school. We collected data regarding sex, age, color of skin, nutritional status, and school of origin. An informed consent was obtained from the State and City Departments of Education and from the principals of the private schools. Statistical analysis was carried out using the chi-square test and ANOVA. Results: from 11.4% to 38.2% of children presented ENE results lower than expected according to their age. The most affected factors were sensory activity and gnosia (38.2%), and the least affected factor was motor persistence (11.4%). There were no statistically significant differences between boys and girls. We observed an association of children with low height-for-age and weight-for-age and cortical dysfunction. Conclusions: chronic malnutrition is a risk factor for brain function performance. J Pediatr (Rio J) 2001; 77 (3): 189-96: neurological examina-tion, brain functions, malnutrition.