PlayWisely is a novel approach to early learning designed to target the positive development of a wide range of cognitive and physical/motor abilities by stimulating the rapidly developing brain of very young children (from 4 months to 3 years of age). The current pilot study represents a first step toward providing an evidence base for the…

Although Baby Sign is gaining in popularity, there is a scarcity of research supporting its use. The research that has been conducted is conflicting. In the current study, nine families with children ranging in age from six months to two years and five months participated in a baby sign workshop. A pre--post-test design was used to assess the…

To study the effects of perinatal HIV-1 infection and early institutional rearing on the physical and cognitive development of children, 64 Ukrainian uninfected and HIV-infected institutionalized and family-reared children were examined (mean age = 50.9 months). Both HIV infection and institutional care were related to delays in physical and…

Reported here are the results of analyses to describe the patterns of identification and academic and developmental outcomes for children with disabilities, conducted as part of the 2004 National Assessment of the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This report provides background context for National…

At 3 years of age, children who had received food supplementation were an average of 2.6 cm and 642 grams larger than controls. Home visiting and supplementation combined reduced the number of children with severe growth retardation. Participants were 280 infants and their families from poor neighborhoods in Bogota, Colombia. (RH)

Presented in the monograph are current or proposed methods for screening and assessing children, from birth to 5 years of age, who have diverse developmental disorders or who are at risk, and whose mental and physical development will benefit from early identification and intervention. Considered in relation to general screening are a screening…

Describes a Department of Human Services project to research and recommend appropriate strategies to address the needs of boarder babies, infants prenatally exposed to substance abuse, and children living in substance abusing environments in the District of Columbia. Training seminars and the five project objectives are reviewed. (SLD)

Testimony presented in this document covers (1) current initiatives in the Public Health Service agenda to promote and protect the health of mothers and infants and to implement specific prevention activities in child health; (2) key issues in outcome and prevention along the human growth line; (3) recent neuroscience research having implications…