Preterm infants were selected from the follow-up service, and the
control group through the waiting list for daycare and by referral by individuals
known to the researcher. Inclusion criteria to the preterm infants
were: parental consent to participation in this study evidenced
by signing an Informed Consent Form, gestational age lower than
37 weeks [23], hospitalization in a NICU for at least 1 day, and within
the age range of 4 to 6 months corrected age. Infants diagnosed with
CNS alterations, congenital musculoskeletal abnormalities, genetic syndromes,
sensory deficits (visual or auditory) reported in medical records,
and those whose parents or guardians dropped out of in the
research were excluded.