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…

Deals with sex differences in three types of nonelicited newborn behaviors, easily observable with the unaided eye: (1) states, (2) activity levels, and (3) several discrete behaviors such as spontaneous behavior and specific motor patterns. Subjects were 289 male and 272 female Black infants. (MP)

Discusses differences in results of factor analyses of ten diverse samples which have been studied using the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). Concludes that a single common factor structure accounts for the intercorrelations among NBAS items. (Author/BH)

An educational program developed to prepare health professionals in a neonatal intensive care unit to initiate family-focused developmental care (FFDC) is described. The program was designed to support families with preterm infants. Findings suggest that the program was cost-efficient, prepared nurses to efficiently initiate FFDC, and improved…

Discusses two studies of infant care in India. The first focused on fathers' infant caregiving practices, whereas the second focused on infant care practices in Punjabi families in which the grandmother lived with young parents. Discusses positive trends in infant care in India that were revealed by the studies. (BG)

The role of public health nurses in the health care of infants and children prenatally exposed to drugs is discussed. Such nurses work in the family setting to promote health and prevent disease. Concepts of Kathryn Barnard have been used to develop policies and protocols for services to families with infants exposed to controlled substances. (GH)

Indicated that infants with different degrees of brain insult display different degrees of abnormalities. The grouping of infants by documented brain insult provides better differentiation of infants than grouping by birth weight. (RH)

Reviews research on the functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system in normal infants. Special attention is paid to the environmental stimuli and psychological processes regulating the stress responses of this system. (NH)

Assesses the relation between cocaine use and the risk of low birth weight in Alameda County (California) through a population-based case-control study of women with low birth-weight infants. Results show that cocaine use increases the risk of both pre-term delivery and intrauterine growth retardation. Limitations of this study are discussed. (JS)

Data suggest that infants with high vagal tone were more reactive than infants with low vagal tone to positive and negative events at 5 months, and were more sociable at 14 months. Infant reactivity to mildly stressful events seemed to be a stable dimension during the first year. (RH)

This study compared mothers' (n=32) and fathers' (n=25) perceptions of stress during their preterm infant's hospitalization in a neonatal intensive care unit. Although there were differences between mothers and fathers in number and types of stressors identified, most mothers and fathers chose stressors related to the infant's health and…

Studied the organization of arousal and attention processes in 138 neurologically at-risk neonates by examining visual preferences when infants were in 3 arousal conditions that involved light panel stimuli. There were no differences in preferences in the two conditions that caused the most arousal. (LB)

This paper reviews evaluations of family-centered intervention programs conducted in neonatal intensive care units. Of 10 studies identified, 3 focused on intervention to benefit the family system; 6 involved parents, but the primary focus was the infant; and 1 study combined the 2 approaches. All the studies had substantial limitations.…

Evidence from 5 experiments with over 150 newborns suggests that infants are born with some information about the structure of faces. This information, termed CONSPEC, is contrasted with CONLERN, a device for learning visual characteristics of conspecifics. Distinction between these mechanisms allows for reconciling conflicting data about face…

Analyzes factors affecting the birth weight of infants born to Southeast Asian immigrant parents in Washington State from 1980 through 1986. Finds an annual reduction of 6.4 percent in the prevalence of low birth weight associated with an improvement in parental occupational status. (FMW)