Knowledge of caregivers and factors associated with neuropsychomotor development in children.

OBJECTIVES to analyze the knowledge of caregivers and the factors associated with neuropsychomotor development in children. METHODS a cross-sectional study, with a quantitative approach, was conducted with 220 child-caregiver binomials attended in the public health services of the municipality of Parnaiba, State of Piaui. The study used the "Denver Test II" and the "Inventory of Child Development Knowledge". RESULTS the study classified 197 children with natural development and 23 with suspicious development. Caregivers with a higher level of knowledge about child development were associated with children with better development. The study considered caregiver knowledge, gestational age, and exclusive breastfeeding as protective factors for appropriate neuropsychomotor development when used the regression model. CONCLUSIONS actions aimed at indicators that presented positive associations must be implemented to improve child development, such as educational activities to increase the level of knowledge of caregivers, improvement of prenatal monitoring, and encouragement of breastfeeding.