Longer breastfeeding durations may enhance cognition and accelerate motor development; motor development, and in particular, crawling, may lead to dramatic changes in cognition. Based on these empirical relations, the hypothesis that crawling mediates breastfeeding duration and cognitive outcome was tested. Specifically, it was hypothesized that longer breastfeeding durations would significantly predict both earlier crawling and higher cognitive scores at 2 years of age, that earlier crawling would also predict higher cognitive scores, and that earlier crawling would account for part of the relationship between longer breastfeeding durations and higher cognitive scores. A sample of 44 full term infants from Winnipeg, Manitoba was followed longitudinally between birth and 2 years of age. Data on breastfeeding duration and crawling were collected through daily parent checklists, with supplemental breastfeeding information obtained via questionnaires. Near the toddlers’ 2nd birthdays, cognitive abilities were assessed with the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory: Words and Sentences (Fenson et al., 1993) and the Parent Report of Children’s Abilities (Saudino et al., 1998). All 3 key variables were measured on continuous scales, and a mediational analysis based on Baron and Kenny’s (1986) classic approach of 3 regressions was used. Several covariates were considered for inclusion in the regressions, but none reached significance in preliminary tests and thus, were not included. In the first 2 regression analyses, exclusive and partial breastfeeding durations significantly predicted neither cognitive scores (p = .59) nor age of crawling attainment (p = .41). The 3rd regression analysis showed a significant, small-to-medium effect size for earlier crawling attainment predicting higher cognitive scores (p < .05, adjusted R2 = .09). However, crawling onset had no effect on the breastfeeding-cognition link. The overall test of the mediation was inconclusive, due to low power. The significant finding between age of crawling onset and cognitive outcomes at 2 years of age may be due to earlier crawling altering the course of development, to reverse causation whereby more cognitively advanced infants are motivated to crawl sooner, or to a 3rd variable affecting both crawling and cognition. Future research should continue to explore motor and cognitive connections in infant development.

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi descrever o desenvolvimento motor de crianças de 0 a 18 meses de idade, identificando os principais fatores de risco para atraso motor, assim como, analisar a validade da Alberta Infant Motor Scale para avaliação do desenvolvimento motor de crianças gaúchas, verificando a representatividade de seus critérios motores. A amostra deste pesquisa foi de 561 crianças, provenientes de Escolas de Educação Infantil, Creches, Entidades e Unidades Básicas de Saúde. Os instrumentos utilizados na coleta de dados foram: 1) Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS); 2) Affordance in the Home Environment Motor Development (AHEMD); 3) Questionário estruturado com perguntas sobre características biológicas. Das crianças avaliadas, 63,5% foram consideradas com desenvolvimento motor normal para idade, sendo que os bebês com idade entre 3 e 12 meses foram os que demonstraram pior desempenho. Foi observado uma inferioridade nos comportamentos motores referentes as posturas prono e em pé. Entre os fatores biológicos de maior influência, destacaram-se o baixo peso ao nascer, a prematuridade e o tempo de internação na UTI. No que se refere aos fatores sócio-ambientais, destacaram-se a escolaridade dos familiares; o grau de instrução paterna, a renda familiar mensal, o número de adultos e de crianças que vivem na casa, tempo carregado no colo e número de brinquedos para motricidade fina e ampla. Quanto ao processo de Validação da AIMS, as análises de correlação, associação e consistência interna indicaram que a AIMS é válida e fidedigna para população gaúcha. Conclui-se que as crianças apresentaram seqüência progressiva do aparecimento de habilidades motoras nas posturas avaliadas, porém parte destas foram consideradas com desenvolvimento motor inferior ao esperado para idade. Sugere-se que os fatores biológicos, contextuais e o instrumento de avaliação influenciaram no desenvolvimento motor das crianças avaliadas, sendo a AIMS um instrumento significativamente útil e confiável para utilização em várias áreas da pesquisa científica e clínica. / The purpose of the present study was describe the motor development of infants aging from 0 to 18 months and verify the influence of the biological and socio-environmental risk factors and analyze the validation of Alberta Infant Motor Scale to evaluate the motor development of southern children, analyzing the representativeness of the instrument´s items. The sample was composed of 561 children, coming from Kinder gardens, Children Education schools, Health Basic Units of Rio Grande do Sul. The instruments used were: 1) Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS); 2) Affordance in the Home Environment Motor Development (AHEMD); 3) biological factors through structured questionnaire. From the evaluated infants, 63, 5% were considered with a regular motor development for their age, and the babies aging from 3 to 12 months were the ones with the worst development. It was found inferiority in the motor behaviors regarding the prono and standing postures. Among the biological factors with a major influence, the low weight when they are born, the prematureness and the time they spend in the intensive treatment unit (ITU) are prominent. In relation to the socioenvironmental factors, the parents’ schoolarity; the father’s instruction, the family’s income, the number of adults and children that live in the house, the time being hold and the number of toys for fine and global motricity. On the Validation process, the analysis of correlation, association and internal consistency indicate that the AIMS is valid and trustworthy in the evaluation of infants motor acquisitions of southern children. Conclused that the infants from this study presented a progressive sequence of appearance of motor abilities in the evaluated postures, however parts of these were considered with an inferior motor development according to what was expected by their age. It is suggested that, either the socio-environment risk factor as well as the biological and evaluation instrument influenced in the motor development of the infants, being the AIMS a significatively useful and reliable instrument to several areas of clinic and scientific research.

The relationship between the development of sitting postural control and of reaching during infancy has not been addressed in detail. It has recently been shown that trunk control develops starting with the head, then the upper trunk and subsequently the lower/pelvic regions. However, previous studies on infant reaching evaluated infants during supported supine or reclined sitting positions, failing to address the contributions of distinct regions of the trunk to reaching. This dissertation explores the relationship between the progression of trunk control and reaching performance in healthy infants. The effects of stabilizing the upper and lower regions of the trunk were assessed by providing vertical trunk fixation at two levels of support (thoracic and pelvic). Documentation of postural and reaching performance reflected how control of the free regions of the trunk modulated both behaviors. First, kinematic data were collected in infants aged 4-6 months who were grouped according to their sitting ability and extent of trunk control. Second, a longitudinal study was implemented in which kinematic and electromyographic recordings were collected bi-monthly from 2.5-8 months. Results from the cross-sectional study showed that postural stability and reaching kinematics of the two groups were similar when they received support at the thoracic level but differed when the support was limited to the pelvic level. Infants who were able to sit independently outperformed the infants who were unable to sit without help. These data were further expanded with the results obtained from the longitudinal study, showing that during the months prior to independent sitting, infant reaches were impoverished and were associated with a lack of postural stability when provided with pelvic, in comparison to thoracic, support. In addition, infants displayed inefficient muscle patterns in response to the instability. Differences between levels of support were not observed once infants acquired independent sitting. Taken together, these results offer detailed measures of the progression of trunk control and its relation to reaching. This raises important questions regarding whether this more specific approach may create the foundation for evaluating and improving trunk control in atypically developing populations. This dissertation includes previously published and unpublished co-authored material.

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi descrever o desenvolvimento motor de crianças de 0 a 18 meses de idade, identificando os principais fatores de risco para atraso motor, assim como, analisar a validade da Alberta Infant Motor Scale para avaliação do desenvolvimento motor de crianças gaúchas, verificando a representatividade de seus critérios motores. A amostra deste pesquisa foi de 561 crianças, provenientes de Escolas de Educação Infantil, Creches, Entidades e Unidades Básicas de Saúde. Os instrumentos utilizados na coleta de dados foram: 1) Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS); 2) Affordance in the Home Environment Motor Development (AHEMD); 3) Questionário estruturado com perguntas sobre características biológicas. Das crianças avaliadas, 63,5% foram consideradas com desenvolvimento motor normal para idade, sendo que os bebês com idade entre 3 e 12 meses foram os que demonstraram pior desempenho. Foi observado uma inferioridade nos comportamentos motores referentes as posturas prono e em pé. Entre os fatores biológicos de maior influência, destacaram-se o baixo peso ao nascer, a prematuridade e o tempo de internação na UTI. No que se refere aos fatores sócio-ambientais, destacaram-se a escolaridade dos familiares; o grau de instrução paterna, a renda familiar mensal, o número de adultos e de crianças que vivem na casa, tempo carregado no colo e número de brinquedos para motricidade fina e ampla. Quanto ao processo de Validação da AIMS, as análises de correlação, associação e consistência interna indicaram que a AIMS é válida e fidedigna para população gaúcha. Conclui-se que as crianças apresentaram seqüência progressiva do aparecimento de habilidades motoras nas posturas avaliadas, porém parte destas foram consideradas com desenvolvimento motor inferior ao esperado para idade. Sugere-se que os fatores biológicos, contextuais e o instrumento de avaliação influenciaram no desenvolvimento motor das crianças avaliadas, sendo a AIMS um instrumento significativamente útil e confiável para utilização em várias áreas da pesquisa científica e clínica. / The purpose of the present study was describe the motor development of infants aging from 0 to 18 months and verify the influence of the biological and socio-environmental risk factors and analyze the validation of Alberta Infant Motor Scale to evaluate the motor development of southern children, analyzing the representativeness of the instrument´s items. The sample was composed of 561 children, coming from Kinder gardens, Children Education schools, Health Basic Units of Rio Grande do Sul. The instruments used were: 1) Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS); 2) Affordance in the Home Environment Motor Development (AHEMD); 3) biological factors through structured questionnaire. From the evaluated infants, 63, 5% were considered with a regular motor development for their age, and the babies aging from 3 to 12 months were the ones with the worst development. It was found inferiority in the motor behaviors regarding the prono and standing postures. Among the biological factors with a major influence, the low weight when they are born, the prematureness and the time they spend in the intensive treatment unit (ITU) are prominent. In relation to the socioenvironmental factors, the parents’ schoolarity; the father’s instruction, the family’s income, the number of adults and children that live in the house, the time being hold and the number of toys for fine and global motricity. On the Validation process, the analysis of correlation, association and internal consistency indicate that the AIMS is valid and trustworthy in the evaluation of infants motor acquisitions of southern children. Conclused that the infants from this study presented a progressive sequence of appearance of motor abilities in the evaluated postures, however parts of these were considered with an inferior motor development according to what was expected by their age. It is suggested that, either the socio-environment risk factor as well as the biological and evaluation instrument influenced in the motor development of the infants, being the AIMS a significatively useful and reliable instrument to several areas of clinic and scientific research.

Orientador: José Angelo Barela / Resumo: O objetivo deste estudo foi examinar os mecanismos de controle do sistema de controle postural durante a manutenção da postura ereta em participantes de 4, 8 e 12 anos de idade e adultos nas condições com e sem visão. Quarenta e cinco participantes de 4, 8 e 12 anos e 15 adultos jovens permaneceram em pé dentro de uma sala constituída de três paredes, duas laterais e uma frontal, de dimensões 2,2 x 1,2 x 1,2 metros (altura, largura e comprimento). Cada participante se posicionou dentro da sala sobre uma plataforma de força (Kistler, modelo 9286A), com os pés afastados na largura do quadril e realizou 10 tentativas, sorteadas aleatoriamente, sendo 5 com e 5 sem visão com duração de 30 segundos cada uma. A plataforma de força forneceu os dados das forças aplicadas sobre ela, que foram utilizados para cálculo das trajetórias do centro de pressão (CP), perambulação e tremor. Para cada uma das trajetórias foram calculadas a amplitude média e a freqüência predominante de deslocamento para as direções ântero-posterior e médio-lateral. Os resultados revelaram que o deslocamento das trajetórias do CP, perambulação e tremor diminuíram com o aumento da idade para as duas direções. Assim, foi verificado que mesmo aos 12 anos de idade crianças não apresentam a mesma performance que os adultos durante a manutenção da postura ereta. Ainda, na condição sem visão, o deslocamento das três trajetórias aumentou para todos os grupos etários, no entanto, a freqüência de deslocamento das trajetórias foi a mesma para todos os grupos nas duas condições. O maior deslocamento da trajetória de perambulação sugere que mesmo crianças de 12 anos de idade ainda apresentam dificuldades em estimar a posição do corpo no espaço e utilizar essa estimativa para manter a orientação postural desejada. Por outro lado, a similaridade na magnitude de... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo). / Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to examine the functioning of the postural control system in maintaining the upright stance in 4, 8, and 12 year-old children and adults with and without vision. Forty five participants aging 4, 8, and 12 years and 15 adults stood upright inside a room constituted of three walls, two laterals and one frontal, with 2,2 x 1,2 x 1,2 metros (height, breadth and lengh). Each participants was positioned inside the room standing on a force platform (Kistler, model 9286A) with his/her feet parallel and aligned with hip width and performed 10 trials, randomly defined, 5 with and 5 without vision, lasting 30 seconds each. The force measured the applied forces, used to calculate the trajectories of center of pressure, rambling and trembling. For each trajectory, mean amplitude displacement and predominant frequency were calculated for both anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions. Results revealed that, the displacement of CP, rambling, and trembling trajectories decreased with age for both directions. Therefore, it was observed that even 12-year-old children did not show adults performance in maintaining the upright stance. In the vision condition, the displacement of CP, rambling, and trembling also increased for all groups, however, the frequency was the same for all groups in both conditions. The larger rambling trajectory displacement suggests that even 12-year-old children still show difficulties in estimating the body position and in using this estimation in order to maintain the desired postural orientation. On the other hand, the similar trembling trajectory displacement suggests that the amount of noise due to the muscular commands send to the muscular system in 12-year-old children is similar to the observed in adults. For 10-year-old and younger children, however, this noise is still larger... (Complete abstract, click electronic address below). / Mestre

The purpose of this work is to show, through evidence derived from scientific studies of healthy and well-nourished infants as well as infants selected from populations with high rates of chronic infection and malnutrition, that the order in the emergence of motor milestones is stable among these two groups. On the other hand, among the children at risk, the variance in the age of emergence of the same milestones was wider than that among the healthy and well-nourished children. The similarities between groups suggest that genetic factors explain the stability of order of emergence of the milestones, while social and cultural factors may explain the differences between groups in the variance in the age of acquisition. The information has theoretical and applied value in the evaluation of motor development in order to identify the determinants of this area of development. / El propósito del trabajo es mostrar, mediante evidencia proveniente de estudios científicos con infantes sanos y bien nutridos y con poblaciones infantiles con altas tasas de desnutrición e infecciones, que el orden en que se presenta la emergencia de los hitos motores gruesos es estable en estos dos grupos. Por otro lado, la variabilidad en la edad de adquisición de los mismos entre los infantes en riesgo es mayor que en los niños sanos y bien nutridos. Los resultados sugieren que factores genéticos pueden contribuir a la estabilidad en el orden de emergencia y que factores socioculturales y de salud pueden haber contribuido al origen de las diferencias en la edad de adquisición. La información tiene importancia teórica y aplicada para la evaluación del desarrollo motor con el propósito objetivo de identificar los determinantes de dicha área del desarrollo.

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi descrever o desenvolvimento motor de crianças de 0 a 18 meses de idade, identificando os principais fatores de risco para atraso motor, assim como, analisar a validade da Alberta Infant Motor Scale para avaliação do desenvolvimento motor de crianças gaúchas, verificando a representatividade de seus critérios motores. A amostra deste pesquisa foi de 561 crianças, provenientes de Escolas de Educação Infantil, Creches, Entidades e Unidades Básicas de Saúde. Os instrumentos utilizados na coleta de dados foram: 1) Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS); 2) Affordance in the Home Environment Motor Development (AHEMD); 3) Questionário estruturado com perguntas sobre características biológicas. Das crianças avaliadas, 63,5% foram consideradas com desenvolvimento motor normal para idade, sendo que os bebês com idade entre 3 e 12 meses foram os que demonstraram pior desempenho. Foi observado uma inferioridade nos comportamentos motores referentes as posturas prono e em pé. Entre os fatores biológicos de maior influência, destacaram-se o baixo peso ao nascer, a prematuridade e o tempo de internação na UTI. No que se refere aos fatores sócio-ambientais, destacaram-se a escolaridade dos familiares; o grau de instrução paterna, a renda familiar mensal, o número de adultos e de crianças que vivem na casa, tempo carregado no colo e número de brinquedos para motricidade fina e ampla. Quanto ao processo de Validação da AIMS, as análises de correlação, associação e consistência interna indicaram que a AIMS é válida e fidedigna para população gaúcha. Conclui-se que as crianças apresentaram seqüência progressiva do aparecimento de habilidades motoras nas posturas avaliadas, porém parte destas foram consideradas com desenvolvimento motor inferior ao esperado para idade. Sugere-se que os fatores biológicos, contextuais e o instrumento de avaliação influenciaram no desenvolvimento motor das crianças avaliadas, sendo a AIMS um instrumento significativamente útil e confiável para utilização em várias áreas da pesquisa científica e clínica. / The purpose of the present study was describe the motor development of infants aging from 0 to 18 months and verify the influence of the biological and socio-environmental risk factors and analyze the validation of Alberta Infant Motor Scale to evaluate the motor development of southern children, analyzing the representativeness of the instrument´s items. The sample was composed of 561 children, coming from Kinder gardens, Children Education schools, Health Basic Units of Rio Grande do Sul. The instruments used were: 1) Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS); 2) Affordance in the Home Environment Motor Development (AHEMD); 3) biological factors through structured questionnaire. From the evaluated infants, 63, 5% were considered with a regular motor development for their age, and the babies aging from 3 to 12 months were the ones with the worst development. It was found inferiority in the motor behaviors regarding the prono and standing postures. Among the biological factors with a major influence, the low weight when they are born, the prematureness and the time they spend in the intensive treatment unit (ITU) are prominent. In relation to the socioenvironmental factors, the parents’ schoolarity; the father’s instruction, the family’s income, the number of adults and children that live in the house, the time being hold and the number of toys for fine and global motricity. On the Validation process, the analysis of correlation, association and internal consistency indicate that the AIMS is valid and trustworthy in the evaluation of infants motor acquisitions of southern children. Conclused that the infants from this study presented a progressive sequence of appearance of motor abilities in the evaluated postures, however parts of these were considered with an inferior motor development according to what was expected by their age. It is suggested that, either the socio-environment risk factor as well as the biological and evaluation instrument influenced in the motor development of the infants, being the AIMS a significatively useful and reliable instrument to several areas of clinic and scientific research.

Orientador: Jose Julio Gavião de Almeida / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação Fisica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-07T22:42:57Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 OliveiraFilho_CiroWincklerde_D.pdf: 1471273 bytes, checksum: 69deb4d8780c5ca2ad473e1816ddb520 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Resumo: A pessoa com deficiência visual apresenta ritmo de desenvolvimento característico e peculiar, em decorrência das limitações na recepção de informações do meio, causadas pela baixa funcionalidade ou ausência da visão. O objetivo desse trabalho foi avaliar o desempenho físicomotor de alunos com deficiência visual durante os 1º Jogos escolares da CBDC. A composição antropométrica e a performance atlético-motora foram aferidas na cidade de São Paulo, no período entre 12 e 14 de novembro de 2004. O grupo participante da pesquisa foi de 197 pessoas. Houve uma divisão em 3 grupos etários, sendo esses: mirim (6 a 10 anos), infanto-juvenil (11 a 14 anos) e juvenil (15 a 18 anos). Utilizaram-se mais duas subdivisões, por gênero e classe visual (B1 e B2/3). A estatura e massa corporal, além das espessuras das dobras cutâneas do tríceps e subescapular foram medidas para delimitar o perfil antropométrico dos grupos. Os eventos esportivos foram utilizados como ambiente para a aferição do desempenho motor. Para as categorias mirim e infanto-juvenil as provas foram a corrida de 50 e 600 metros, lançamento de pelota e salto em distância; na categoria juvenil foram a corrida de 100 e 1000 metros, lançamento de pelota e salto em distância. Os resultados da composição corporal apresentaram, no gênero feminino, os maiores valores na categoria juvenil, da classe visual B2/3. No masculino os maiores resultados das variáveis de gordura corporal ocorreram na categoria mirim, já a estatura corporal acompanhou a evolução da idade. Entre os gêneros, os maiores resultados ocorrem no feminino, inclusive esse grupo apresentou os maiores valores da estatura corporal. A performance físico-motores apresentou, no feminino, os maiores resultados na classe visual B2/3, os valores acompanharam a evolução da faixa etária. A exceção ocorreu em algumas categorias com performance semelhante influenciado quando o de menor idade tinha uma melhor capacidade visual. No masculino os melhores valores médios na categoria juvenil ocorreram na classe visual B2/3, já no infanto-juvenil a classe visual apresentou melhor performance nas provas de corrida e salto; entre as três faixas etárias desse gênero os valores mais significativos ocorreram na categoria juvenil. Entre os gêneros os melhores resultados ocorreram no masculino. Frente a esses resultados a aplicação de uma proposta pedagógica que possibilite o desenvolvimento da autonomia na pessoa com deficiência é fundamental para a melhoraria de sua relação com o meio. Possibilitar experiências é fundamental no desenvolvimento dos indivíduos, as categorias etárias com menor experiência motora apresentam resultados similares entre pessoas cegas e com baixa visão. Os resultados antropométricos e físico-motores mostram a necessidade de uma prática sistematizada para evitar que as pessoas com deficiência visual desenvolvam níveis de gordura corporal que prejudique o seu desenvolvimento humano de maneira adequada. A aplicação dos resultados desse estudo depende do entendimento da relação entre deficiência, limitação e incapacidade junto à pessoa com deficiência visual, no qual o grande problema do desenvolvimento motor encontrar-se na baixa capacidade de realizar interações com o ambiente, e não diretamente na deficiência visual / Abstract: The person with visual impairment presents rhythm of characteristic and peculiar development, in result of the limitations in the reception of information of the environment, caused by the low functionality or absence of the vision. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the physical performance of students with visual impairment during 1st school Games of the CBDC. The anthropometric composition and the athletical-motor performance were evaluated in the city of São Paulo, during the period between November 12th and 14th, 2004. The participant group of the research was of 197 people. There was a division in 3 age groups: Bantam (6 to 10 years), Junior (11 to 14 years) and Intermediate (15 to 18 years). Two under divisions were used more, by gender and visual classification (B1 and B2/3). The height and corporal weight, besides thickness of the skin folds of triceps and sub scapular were measured to delimit the anthropometrical profile of the groups. The sportive events were used as the place of the motor performance measurement. For the categories Bantam and Junior the tests were the 50 and 600 meters running, baseball throw and long jump; in Intermediate category were the 100 and 1000 meters running, baseball throw and long jump. The results of the body composition presented the highest values of Intermediate category in the female category, of the visual classification B2/3. In male the highest values of body fat occurred in Bantam category, though the height followed the evolution of the age. Among the genders, the highest results occurred in the female category, which also presented the highest values of height. The athletical performance presented the highest results for visual classification B2/3 in female; the values followed the evolution of age. There were exceptions in some categories with similar performance influenced when the younger one had better visual capacity. In male the best average values of the Intermediate category occurred in visual classification B2/3, though in Junior the visual classification presented better performance on running and jump events; it among the ages of this gender the most significant valuesoccurred in Intermediate category. Between the genders the best results occurred in male. From these results the application of a pedagogical proposal that makes possible the autonomy development of the person with visual impairment is indispensable to improve its relation with the environment. To offer experiences are essential for the individual development, the age categories with less motor experience present similar results between the blind and the people with low vision. The anthropometric and motor-physic results show the necessity of a systemized practice to prevent that the people with visual impairment develop levels of body fat that harm its human development. The application of the results of this study depends on the understanding of the relation between impairment, limitation and incapacity in relation to the person with visual impairment, in which the great problem of the motor development is related to the low capacity to interact with the environment, and not directly in the visual impairment / Doutorado / Atividade Fisica, Adaptação e Saude / Doutor em Educação Física

Estudos iniciais sobre a aquisição da locomoção aquática por bebês identificaram uma seqüência ordenada de padrões de movimento ao longo do primeiro ano de vida. A explicação dada a respeito dessa constatação sustenta que isso se deva a alterações no controle motor causado pela maturação do sistema nervoso. Estudos posteriores têm contestado a existência dessa seqüência predeterminada de padrões, sugerindo uma menor predisposição do organismo e uma maior influência ambiental na aquisição desses comportamentos. O presente projeto visou investigar o efeito da estimulação sistemática do reflexo de nadar no comportamento de bebês na locomoção aquática no primeiro ano de vida. Participaram do experimento dezeseis bebês, com idade media de quatorze semanas, divididos em dois: grupo experimental e controle. O registro dos dados foi feito com uma câmera (Panasonic Camerascope S-VHS Movie modelo AG 456) e a identificação e quantificação dos movimentos foram feitas mediante a análise quadro a quadro utilizando-se do software APAS 2000 (Ariel System). Consideraram-se os movimentos do corpo todo ou de partes e que durassem pelo menos dois segundos. Os resultados obtidos permitiram identificar diferenças significativas na duração do comportamento predominante do mergulho ventral autônomo entre os grupos nos componentes, cabeça, braços, pernas e tronco em nível de 5%. Nas outras demais posições experimentais os resultados obtidos não foram totalmente conclusivos. O que nos leva a afirmar que houve efeito de prática entre os grupos principalmente para a posição experimental do mergulho ventral autônomo / Early studies about acquisition of swimming behavior in infants identified an ordered sequence of movement patterns span the first year of life. The explanation attributed to this fact defends that it happens due to changes in motor control caused by the maturation of nervous system. Nevertheless, it has been questioned, suggesting a smaller predisposition of the organism in the skills acquisition process, suggesting a bigger environmental influence in the acquisition of this behavior. In this way, the present study aimed testing the effects of practice on elementary swim patterns. For this, sixteen full-terms, fourteen weeks ear old infants, were recruited from the Londrina State University community in Londrina. The infants were randomly assigned to one of two groups. The experimental group was taken to the aquatic environment twice a week for a period of seven consecutive months and received thirty minutes of stimulation of swimming patterns each day. The control group received no systematic stimulation. Both groups were taken to aquatic environment twice a month and filmed for a period of fifteen minutes in each experimental position. The movements made by all the body or the segments, during more than two consecutive seconds, were considered to this analysis. From the data gathered it was possible to identify some behavioural patterns regarding to the action of the head, the limbs and the trunk. A planned comparison confirmed that the duration of the most frequent movement of the experimental group was longer than that of the control group. Those results suggest that the effects of practice can provide variations on some swimming behavior

No description available.