Investigates infants' scanning of two compound stimuli by presenting features (either squares or faces) inside a frame, the frame alone, and features alone. The apparent disappearance of external bias at about 21 months appears to apply to the scanning of only some compound figures. For schematic face figures, no external bias was found.…

Recent reports have indicated that parents and/or physicians occasionally decide not to provide life-sustaining treatment (referred to as involuntary euthanasia), thus ensuring that the severely handicapped newborn will die. The issues involved relative to treatment or involuntary euthanasia are reviewed from two opposing perspectives…

The article gives a select overview of the purpose, process, and procedures which are involved in neonatal vision screening. Significant responses and reactions worth noting are outlined so an evaluator might have an indication of what to look for in using such a tool. (Author)

The newborn nursery provides an ideal setting for introducing basic concepts in primary care. In the University of California, Irvine, Medical Center nursery, a multidisciplinary team considers the many physiologic adjustments a newborn must undergo to adapt successfully to its environment. (Author/MLW)

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)

The infants of the adolescent mothers were found to be significantly less capable of responding to social stimuli, to be less alert, and to be less able to control motor behavior and to perform integrated motor activities than were the infants of older mothers. Journal availability: J. B. Lippincott Co., E. Washington Sq., Philadelphia, PA 19105.…

The model program described was designed to provide teenage mothers with knowledge and skills needed to successfully cope with caring for their infants. (JD)

Factors such as gestational age and birthweight were compared in a follow-up study of 66 neonates with diarrhea and two groups of infants--one with low birthweight, one with optimal birthweight. Among findings was that low birthweight was found to correlate with low test scores on visual perception regardless of whether the infants had had…

In one experiment, sucrose arrested crying and reduced heart rate and gross activity in 2-week-olds but was ineffective in calming 4-week-olds unless accompanied by eye contact. In a second experiment, for 4-week-olds who received sucrose without eye contact or water with eye contact, the reduction in crying was modest and not sustained.…

Some infants experience unusual stress from pregnancy through the postnatal period and are especially called upon to exercise coping responses. Discusses unusual stressors, how the infant naturally copes with them, and how caregivers can provide assistance. Reviews studies on stress-relieving intervention techniques. (NH)

Reports that, even though young infants can discriminate among different facial expressions, there are individual differences in infants' expressivity and ability to produce and discriminate facial expressions. (PCB)

Among 36 newborns, Infant Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) activity level, responsivity, and irritability exhibited stability from 2 weeks to 2 months and from 2 months to 12 months. Irritability was stable from 2 weeks to 12 months. IBQ ratings generally increased by year's end. (RH)

Newborns were habituated to white squares of varying size and luminance and retested with colored squares for recovery of habituation. Newborns could discriminate yellow-green from white in large squares, but not in small squares. They could not discriminate blue, blue-green, or purple from white. Results suggest newborns have little…

Baseline and heelstick measures of behavioral state, heart period, vagal tone, and salivary cortisol were obtained from 50 full-term newborns. Mothers completed Rothbart's Infant Behavior Questionnaire when the infants reached six months of age. Greater reactivity to the heelstick was associated with lower scores on the…