A newborn baby reacts involuntarily or reflexively to its environment. During the first few years of life, through physical growth and learning experiences, the child learns to participate actively in the world. Motor skills and sensory experiences begin to develop after birth, and development continues as children grow. Having good motor control also helps children explore the world around them, which can help many other areas of development. There are many environmental and biological factors that affect motor development. Especially the home environment where the child spends most of his time is one of the key factors affecting motor development. The home environment is known to be a very important factor for motor development in infants. At the same time, the variety of equipment and environmental conditions help children provide different sensory experiences. Exploring the home environment can have important developmental implications, as it is common practice for physiotherapists to advise patients on home activities. Environmental factors can affect the motor development of preterm children as well as other developmental areas. The number of studies examining the effects of environmental factors on motor and sensory development in preterm infants is limited in the literature. This study was planned to examine whether there is a relationship between the environmental conditions and equipment variety and the motor and sensory development of the preterm child.
Babies with a history of premature birth and low birth weight are at risk for developmental disorders. These infants may have motor, cognitive and behavioral problems compared to their term peers. Although advances in technology lead to an increase in survival rate, 50% of these infants may have developmental delays in motor, cognitive and behavioral areas. Premature birth does not accelerate any of the early sensory development processes, but exposure to intense, unusual stimuli of unusual character may delay or inhibit sensory development. Therefore, children born prematurely may be at risk in terms of sensory processing. The physical, sensory and social environment of the infant and young child is critical in supporting the healthy and appropriate development of the brain and nerve-sensory systems.