Compares annual rates of neonatal, postneonatal mortality to annual rates of low birth weight, 1963-1982. Shows that same level of decline in incidence of low birth weight is associated with greater decline in mortality rates of non-White than White infants and for nonmetro than metro infants. Contains 15 references. (Author/DHP)

Examined the effects of hunger on the hand-mouth (HM) behavior of a group of newborn infants. Found that significantly more mouth opening before contacts to the mouth than those to the face occurred before but not after feeding, suggesting some link between HM behavior and hunger state. (MDM)

Tested infants' remembrance of the orientations and angular relations of line segments. In one experiment, infants "dishabituated" to a change in orientation but not a change in angle. In two further experiments, infants familiar with either an acute or obtuse angle gave strong novelty preferences to a different angle. (BC)

Two experiments tested whether newborns could discriminate their own and another newborn's cry. Results indicated that awake newborns expressed facial distress more frequently and longer to another newborn's cry than to their own. Sucking decreased significantly between pretest phase and first minute of another infant's cry. Asleep infants'…

Habituated 180 neonates to white lights of varying luminance and tested for recovery of habituation to green, yellow, or red lights varying in excitation purity. Found that newborns discriminated chromatic stimuli from white only when excitation purity exceeded levels much higher than those for adults. Results reinforce view that neonates' vision…

Presented neonates with lexical and grammatical words prepared from natural maternal speech. Found that neonates could categorically discriminate the sets based on a constellation of perceptual cues that distinguished them. Suggested that this ability to discriminate words on basis of multiple acoustic/phonological cues provides a perceptual base…

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…

This article presents results from a narrative interview study of 45 parents/caregivers whose infants were correctly identified as deaf through Phase 1 of the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme in England. It concerns the period from the first screening event to the point of referral for audiological assessment. It focuses on the meanings parents…

Adults are sensitive to the physical differences that define ethnic groups. However, the age at which we become sensitive to ethnic differences is currently unclear. Our study aimed to clarify this by testing newborns and young infants for sensitivity to ethnicity using a visual preference (VP) paradigm. While newborn infants demonstrated no…

Research on communication with infants, including newborns, has demonstrated that imitations in great variety play many different parts, and with emotions of interest and pleasure. Matching another's actions may seek attention and provoke reply, accept or reject advances, express admiration or mockery. It seems best to regard imitating as one way…

Students from Far Rockaway High School are just back from spring break, and media specialist Geri Ellner is busy getting ready for her first class. She's already pulled out a copy of Anthony Browne's award-winning picture book "The Shape Game" (Farrar, 2003), and now she's patiently cuing up a Disney video of "Pocahontas" on…

This report presents outcome data on infant motor activity and behavioral state. Subjects were 45 infants who had birth weight of less than 1,501 grams, were appropriate for gestational age, and were free of major complications. A total of 21 infants were studied during a preintervention (control period), and 24 were studied in a posttraining…

Pressure variations applied by newborns and by infants 1 to 4 months old to rubber nipples were recorded in three different procedures under no-fluid conditions. In the first study, infants were presented for 90 seconds with novel nipples varying in shape and in shape plus material. Results suggested that a developmental trend existed for an…

Results suggested that socioeconomic factors were not major determinants of differences in infant mortality in Texas in the 1970's. Data on live births and infant deaths for 254 Texas counties were obtained from the Texas Department of Health for each of the 11 years from 1970 to 1980. Infant, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality rates were…

A study of the relationship between pain-relieving drugs given to mothers during labor and delivery and neonatal behavior as assessed by the Brazelton Scales. Tested 44 infants on eight different days during their first month of life. (SDH)