Language development profile of children in Belem, according to Denver developmental screening test

Abstract:PURPOSES:to assess the language development of children enrolled in elementary schools in Belém, according to the Denver Developmental Screening Test, and to test the correlation between language development and family background, personal characteristics, and characteristics of the environment.METHODS:this study is cross-sectional and descriptive exploratory. A questionnaire was applied to parents to collect personal, contextual and family data. The socioeconomic level was measured using an instrument to measure the level of poverty of the family.RESULTS:from the 319 children assessed, 59.2% presented result of suspect delay in language. The variables that showed statistically significant association with language development were: paternal education (p=0.003), maternal age (p=0.03) and poverty level of the family (p=0.003).CONCLUSION:this study highlights the importance of implementing stimulation and systematic monitoring programs, moreover it alerts about the negative interference of the risk factors in this process.