Cognitive, language and motor development of infants exposed to risk and protective factors.

Introduction: Risk factors are biological or environmental characteristics increasing the likelihood of delays in child development. Meanwhile, protective factors are conditions that can minimize risks and favor the acquisition of skills. Infants with risk indicators for hearing loss (RIHL) tend to live in less stimulating environments which may lead to lower cognitive, language, and motor development.

Home environment of infants with risk indicators for hearing loss tends to be less stimulating.

Objective: To verify the home opportunities to the motor development offered to infants with and without risk indicators for hearing loss (RIHL).

Methods: Observational transversal study was done with infants between 8 and 10 months, being 77 with RIHL (Study Group-SG) and 77 without RIHL (Control Group-CG) The instrument used to characterize the sample and obtain information about the home affordances was the questionnaire Affordances in the Home Environment for the Motor Development - Infant Scale (AHEMD-IS). The results of the AHEMD-IS between the groups were compared using the Mann-Whitney and Chi-Squared tests.