Introduction: Child development is considered a sequence of changes in behaviour and underlying processes that are infl uenced by biological and environmental factors. The screening and monitoring of neuropsychomotor development (NPMD) procedures have been shown to be effective in the early identifi cation of different diseases in childhood.Objective: relate the condition of the NPMD in children aged 36-48 months attending Early Childhood Education Units (ECEU) in Belém, Pará, Brazil to certain personal characteristics and variables of their ecological environment. Methods:The following instruments were applied: Questionnaire of the biopsychosocial characteristics of the child, the Instrument for Measuring Urban Poverty Level, and fi nally, Developmental Screening Denver II Test. Result:The study revealed that of the 319 children evaluated, 77.74% had probable delays in development. The variables that were statistically signifi cant were paternal education (0.000**), the child's primary caregiver (0.039*) and pregnancy planning (0.007*). Regarding the instrument of measurement for the level of urban poverty, the scores ranged from 28 to 52 points, and showed a statistically significant relation with the outcome (0.003*). Conclusion:The high prevalence of probable developmental delays seen in children of the city's ECEU showed the need to introduce early stimulation programs, encouraging the monitoring of child development through the screening, and, in addition, to alert for the issue of negative interference of socioeconomic factors related to family condition and city they reside in on child growth and development. INTRODUCTIONChild development is a complex term that comprises defi nitions originated in several areas, such as paediatrics, physiotherapy and psychology. The most recent studies emphasize development as a process of change and permanence, demonstrating that the acquisition and use of skills integrate various systems and functions of the individual in constant interaction with the physical and social environment. [1][2][3][4][5][6] There are many factors that infl uence the child's health and development, which may be related to heredity and biological adaptation, in addition to environmental conditions (experience and sensory-motor stimulation, nutrition, socioeconomic conditions, affective disorders). The impact of these factors on child development has been the subject of many studies in recent decades, pointing out that identifi cation and early intervention are key to the prognosis of children with development disorders. [7][8][9] It is important to note that the assessment of the child's development seems ineffi cient when it is based only on clinical impressions. Less than 30% of children with mental retardation, language disorders or other developmental problems had such situations detected by the clinical trial. [7][8][9][10] With the purpose of promoting some form of early intervention for the so-called deviations of development, the use of standardized instruments have been -182...

Introduction: Childhood development represents a sequence of changes in behavior and underlying processes, in luenced by biological and environmental factors. Screening and monitoring of neurodevelopment show effective procedures for early identi ication of different disorders of childhood development. Objective: To analyze the neurodevelopment, using the Denver Developmental Screening Test II, of children enrolled in preschools of Administrative Districts in Belém and to map the districts and the percentage of development evaluated as normal and suspected delay. Methods: This was a cross-sectional and exploratory descriptive study. A questionnaire was administered to parents to collect the personal, contextual and family data and an instrument to measure the level of family poverty. Results: Of the 319 children assessed, 77.7% showed a suspected delay in neuropsychomotor developmental and 59.2% in language. The family poverty level variable showed a statistically signi icant association with the overall level of development (p = .011) and of language (p = .003). Conclusion: It is hoped that this study will contribute to generate an impact in improving the ecological conditions of children and their families, reducing the risks to which they are exposed. Keywords:Child. Childhood Development. Poverty.