Notes that life-saving advances in medicine have created difficult ethical and legal dilemmas for health care professionals. Presents beginning knowledge base for bioethical practice, especially in hospital neonatal units. Outlines key elements of bioethical decision making and examines potential social work role from clinical and organizational…

Presents a model that identifies the adjustment process following the birth of a less-than-perfect newborn. Outlines specific counseling intervention strategies that guide the counselor and family through the process towards acceptance. Emphasizes that early counseling leads to more complete adjustment and acceptance, with positive implications…

Discusses Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), accepted as leading known cause of mental retardation. Relates chronicity, timing, and severity of alcohol exposure to age-specific developmental and behavioral consequences. Delineates specific interventions with infants, preschoolers, school-age children, and adolescents. Advocates for accurate diagnosis…

The purpose of this report is to enhance both individual and national perspectives on prevention of ill health and premature death through identification of priorities and specification of measureable goals. Health problems for every age group from infancy through old age are discussed with suggestions for prevention and improvement of…

This report contains highlights from a seminar on crack-using pregnant mothers and their babies. Comments by these panelists are summarized: Sonia Imaizumi, a pediatrician/neonatologist who has worked with inner city women who abuse drugs; Mary Jiordano, a social worker and family therapist, and director of Families First, a family preservation…