This study investigated the contributions of parent, infant, and contextual variables to the prediction of maternal ratings of infant temperament. Between the time when they gave birth and six months after the birth, 104 mothers completed measures of parenting attitudes, maternal anxiety and depression, family social support, demographic…

This book provides a comprehensive analysis of federal laws and court decisions addressing the rights of persons with disabilities including the following: the U.S. Constitution; Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; Sections 501 and 503 of the Rehabilitation Act; Americans with Disabilities Act; Education for All Handicapped Children Act; the…

This manual offers practical guidelines for many of the concerns that parents have about their infants and toddlers. The manual is divided into seven chapters; each is written by an expert in the field of pediatrics, early childhood education, nutrition, or family care. The following areas are covered: (1) newborn and infant care; (2) growth and…

This study examined motor, academic, and behavioral performance of 38 nine-year-old Australian children who had been described as biologically "at-risk" from neonatal conditions. In addition to individual tests taken by subjects, school progress questionnaires were administered to teachers and parents. Subjects were found to require a…

A combined qualitative/quantitative methodology was employed to explore the interplay between the development of 16 German families and their individual members. Describing the dual approach, discussion concerns (1) the development of an appropriate framework for focusing observations; (2) the introduction of the concept of "family task"…

Providing several examples of current research efforts, this report describes the research on maternal and child health supported by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). The Institute conducts a coordinated program of research and research training to advance knowledge related to pregnancy and maternal health,…

The birth of a child represents an important normative transition for the infant's mother and her close social network members that may affect both the mother's personal well-being and the quality of her interpersonal realationships. Participants included 47 mothers of infants treated in neonatal intensive care units, and 36 mothers of healthy…

This databook describes the status of maternal and child health in America; the nation's progress in reducing infant mortality, low birthweight babies, and the percentage of pregnant women who receive late or no prenatal care; patterns of teenage and out-of-wedlock childbearing; and the extent to which certain safety net programs, such as Aid to…

Results are reported of a pilot study to determine the effectiveness of a tracking program to maintain high risk infants in continuing health care, determine health and developmental outcomes, and survey the use of community resources in this population. Subjects were 766 infants from six participating hospitals in two Washington counties, one of…

There is a growing body of evidence that Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) victims are not completely normal and healthy, as was once believed. A variety of new information from several disciplines strongly suggests that the infant who dies suddenly and unexpectedly may do so because of subtle developmental, neurologic, cardiorespiratory, and…

This paper briefly reviews studies pertaining to the imitation of facial gestures in early infancy. It is suggested that imitation provides for the initiation of a reciprocal exchange between mother and infant, but does not sustain such an interaction, since this requires a continually varied and changing pattern of gestures. Thus there is an…

Effects of maternal-neonatal extended contact or separation were examined in 76 children (8 to 10 years old), five of whom were receiving special education services, and 28 who had been retained in their grade. Of the five Ss requiring special services, three were classified as slow learners and two as speech impaired, two conditions linked by…

Experiences in prenatal life and early childhood that may cause personality disorders or criminal behavior in later life are examined in these proceedings of the Subcommittee on Childhood Experiences as Causes of Criminal Behavior of the Standing Committee on Health, Welfare and Science. This issue, the eighteenth in a series of 19 hearings dating…

Analysis of the verbal content of 48 Hispanic and Anglo mothers revealed that questions about a newborn infant's gender were more frequent than comments about family resemblance. The contradiction with previous research may be a result of (1) different time intervals for recording conversations or (2) different sociological backgrounds of mothers.…

Research confirms that reading success starts with young children enjoying library storytimes! Preschoolers' earliest experiences with books and reading are important; parent/caregiver knowledge can build on those experiences, according to research from the National Institute of Child Health & Development, conducted with PLA and ALSC, the…