OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between global development and specific language development in children with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy neonatal (EHIN) and to relate these factors to the APGAR score and prematurity. CASE DESCRIPTION: In this cross-sectional study, we evaluated data that were collected from a convenience sample of 10 male and female patients aged between 15 and 25 months with a diagnosis of EHIN, who were followed up in a neurology outpatient clinic. The subjects were assessed with the Escala de Desenvolvimento Psicomotor da Primeira Infância (EDPPI) and the Protocolo de Observação Comportamental (PROC). We used the Pearson correlation analysis and SPSS 10.0 software for data analysis. The correlation between prematurity and the APGAR score was direct: r = 0.250 to 1 and r = 0.456 to 5. The relationship between gestational age and the average total points obtained in PROC and EDPPI were r = 0.038 and r = -0.072, respectively. The relationship between cognitive development and the scores obtained in the protocols was r = 0.528 for EDPPI and r = 0.724 for PROC. A positive relationship was observed between the scores and the results in EDPPI and PROC (r = 0.434). As the score for the aspects involving the language area in EDPPI increased, the score obtained in PROC also increased (r = 0.681). CONCLUSIONS: The global development and language development of children with EHIN is directly related and parallel to cognition. Conducting trials by using protocols is an important factor in the detection of language disorders and for subsequent referral for follow-up and rehabilitation.