Avaliação do ambiente domiciliar de crianças pré-escolares matriculadas em uma creche pública de Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais

Abstract

Introduction: Child development results from the interaction between genetic conditions and everyday experiences. Moreover, the environment may influence the child’s development. Thus, inadequate stimulation opportunities in the home environment can predispose children to developmental delay. Objective: To assess the home environment of preschool children enrolled in a public daycare center in Governador Valadares, Minas Gerais. Methodology: Observational cross-sectional study which used the economic classification criteria from the Associação Brasileira de Empresas de Pesquisa (ABEP) to assess the family's economic level, and the questionnaire Affordances in the Home Environment for Motor Development – Self Report (AHEMD-SR) to investigate the home environment stimulation opportunities. Results: 20 households of children aged between 24 and 42 months were evaluated, and 55% were classified at the ABEP B2 level. Regarding the opportunities of the home environment, 35% had very poor external space, 90% had very good internal roominess, 40% had very good stimulation variety, and 55% showed fine and gross motor materials classified as very poor. In the total score, 70% got an average rating. Conclusion: The opportunities for stimulation present in the home environment were reasonable, although the opportunities present in the external space and the availability of toys for fine and gross motor skills were classified as very poor for motor development.