This study examined the development of maternal roles in seven mothers of medically fragile, premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of an urban, teaching hospital using data sources such as interviews, observations, and document review. Mothers gradually assumed caregiving roles of worrier, novice, learner and expert and…

Family members (N=83) who participated in professional team staffing concerning treatment plans for their child with a craniofacial difference (typically, cleft lip and/or palate) were surveyed. Ninety-seven percent of respondents said they would choose to meet with the team on their next visit to the clinic. The role of early interventionists on…

Sixty infants (ages 11 to 26 weeks) were divided into 3 groups (healthy, preterm healthy, and preterm sick). Ten minutes of infant-parent interaction were videotaped, and mothers viewed the tapes and identified infant behaviors they interpreted. Differences in behavioral interpretations among mothers are identified, as are correlations among…

This paper offers six guidelines to facilitate parent-professional partnerships in neonatal intensive care units and early intervention settings. The guidelines emphasize the need to individualize practices to match parent needs; involve parents; support, trust, and respect parents; adopt a strengths-based perspective; understand parents' and…

A mother describes her experience and interactions with professionals concerning the birth, surgeries, and early development of her daughter who was born with congenital diaphragmatic hernia, a condition in which the failure of the diaphragm to form completely compromises the position and functioning of many major organs. (DB)

This observational study examined 60 mothers' comments during play with their 4- to 8-month-old infants who had been either full-term, preterm well, or preterm sick. Mothers of sick preterm babies engaged in the most overall talking, mothers of full-term babies made the most negative remarks, and mothers of healthy preterm babies made the fewest…

A brief history is provided of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a treatment option for infants that provides prolonged circulation and reoxgenation of blood outside the body to temporarily support a failing heart or lungs. The University of Kentucky ECMO program is described, along with the positive outcomes of 19 infants. (Contains…

Describes a collaborative shared-reading project associated with an early-intervention program which provided pediatric day health care for young children identified as medically and/or environmentally at-risk. Consumer-oriented outcome data suggested that the project was effective in both empowering the caregivers as facilitators of emergent…

This study assessed differences in oromotor development between 10 verbal and 10 nonverbal young children (ages 30 to 48 months), all with autism. A variety of oromotor difficulties were found in both groups, similar to those seen in children with cerebral palsy and Down syndrome. (DB)

Early communication was examined for 3 children (ages 20 to 27 months) who had been tracheostomized during their first year and were still cannulated. Communication means and intentions and rate of communication were examined. Potential contributions of social, cognitive, and language skills to the onset of early words were assessed. (Author/SW)

Examines the way that feeding and nutrition concerns of children with disabilities are addressed under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; includes two case studies of families who received nutritional services for their young children (ages one and two) with disabilities. The role of the nutritionist is considered. (Author/SW)

This article describes basic assessment considerations for infants and toddlers exhibiting nonorganic failure to thrive. The evaluation process must examine feeding, maternal-child interactions, child temperament, and environmental risks and behaviors. Early identification and intervention are necessary to minimize the long-term developmental…

Follow-up comparison of a survey of seven speech-language pathologists (SLP) concerning children prenatally exposed to drugs including cocaine (PED+C) with earlier studies found: (1) the numbers of children PED+C seen by SLPs increased; (2) the variety of evaluation instruments used to determine speech-language strengths and weaknesses increased;…