Exploring effective interventions to compensate for developmental delay in premature neonates and reduce their mothers' anxiety is of great significance. This research aimed at examining the effects of body massage on Iranian premature neonates' physical and motor development, and on their mother's anxiety and attachment. Forty premature neonates…

Purpose: The aim of the current study was to review neuromuscular development, summarize the current body of evidence describing the use of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) therapy in infants, and identify possible contraindications for the use of NMES in the neonate and young infant. Method: After a review of the literature describing…

Using a rich sample created from the Longitudinal Survey of Australian Children, we investigate the extent to which the relationship between body size at birth and early childhood cognitive skills is mediated by physical development indicators. Consistent with existing evidence from other countries, we find a significant relationship between body…

Background: Recent evidence suggests that impaired foetal growth may provide an early indication of increased risk of child attention problems. However, despite both foetal growth and child attention problems differing by sex, few studies have examined sex differences in this association. Furthermore, no studies have been conducted in low- and…

Studied the effect of varying amount and concentration of a sucrose solution on swallowing and sucking activity of newborns. (Author/JMB)

Newborns were presented with a tape-recorded rattle sound through a single loudspeaker, through two loudspeakers with one onset leading the other by seven msecs., and through two loudspeakers simultaneously. Newborns turned toward the single source sound, but not toward either of the dual source sounds. (Author/RH)

Briefly reviews the relevant literature on human prenatal effects, describes some of the possible designs for such studies; and discusses some of the methodological problem areas: sample choice, measurement of prenatal variables, monitoring of labor and delivery, and neonatal assessment. (CS)

Neonates born without complications to healthy mothers at 14,000 feet or at 490 feet above sea level were evaluated at 24-36- and 48-60-hours-of-life. In comparison with low-altitude infants, high-altitude infants were significantly lighter, shorter, had a smaller arm circumference, and presented more signs of behavioral immaturity in interactive…

In this study, an attempt was made to determine whether psychophysiological differences existed between 20 prematurely born and 20 full-term infants in their responsiveness to tactile stimulation and in their ability to discriminate among different intensities of such stimulation. (Author/SB)

Designed for use in the home and in professional child-care settings, this program presents developmentally appropriate activities to support growth and development of infants from birth to 1 year. Each of the six 2-month long units contains 24 sets of activities called Activity Plans, with the suggestion to use three activity plans per week. Each…

Describes the relationship between neonatal crying and anthropometric indices of fetal growth. No differences were found between cry features of underweight and overweight infants; both groups required more stimulation than average weight infants to elicit crying. It is suggested that certain cry features may reflect the risk status of neonates…

The Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale was administered to 143 healthy newborns. Infants were divided into average-superior and worrisome groups based on the rating of their performance on the "a priori" dimensions and overall profile. Twelve risk variables were entered into a stepwise discriminant analysis for each dimension…

To assess risk status of newborns, data were collected on 776 newborns using a high risk register. Analysis of high risk characteristics revealed 261 primary risk incidents in the sample and 292 secondary risk factors. (Author/PHR)

This study examined the effect of a modification of nursing care on stressors associated with care procedures for low birth weight infants in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU); and on infants' physiological, motor, and behavioral development. The nursing staff of an NICU received training to reduce environmental and procedural stress, support…

This study examined behavioral correlates of the rapid central nervous system changes occurring in the first 4 months of life. It was hypothesized that during the early months of infancy, visual preference would occur as a function of quantitative dimensions of the stimuli (size) which could be mediated at a subcortical level. It was further…