This study evaluated the usefulness of perinatal medical status, environmental risk, and infant developmental status as predictors of low IQ at age 4 among 70 4-year-olds who had been in a neonatal intensive care unit at birth. It found family environment the most predictive, 18-month developmental assessments somewhat useful, and perinatal health…

Increase in number of children infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and consequential developmental disabilities of these children are discussed. Families caring for HIV-infected children express four recurrent themes: psychological stress, grief and mourning, guilt and self-blame, and isolation and fear of discrimination. Flexible…

This article reviews 46 experimental studies on behavioral and developmental outcomes associated with prenatal exposure to illicit drugs. Only half of the 460 individual outcomes significantly indicated adverse effects of prenatal exposure. The greatest number of these outcomes was for infants younger than one month, with relatively few outcomes…

This article describes a collaborative consultation process developed at the University of New Mexico's University Hospital to address the needs of newborns at risk and their families. It considers the interdisciplinary team structure of the Developmental Care clinical team, collaborative service delivery approaches, and specialized competencies…

Asserts that literacy learning begins in infancy and that no age is too young to be read to. Recommends that parents begin reading to their children early, that they read for short periods, and that they read often. Includes a list of books for newborns and infants. (BGC)

The aim of the review of D.V. Cicchetti, A.S. Kaufman, and S.S. Sparrow (funded by the General Electric Company; this issue) is to "evaluate [the] literature relating the effects of prenatal and postnatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) upon neurobehavioral, health-related, and cognitive deficits in neonates, developing infants,…

Maternal depression is associated with adverse child development, but little is known about the effects of paternal depression. This pilot study estimated the prevalence of paternal depression and mood state, and assessed the relationship between paternal mood and infant temperament. The participants in the study were 98 fathers of newborn babies.…

This 42-item annotated bibliography, represents a comprehensive effort to gather information on the educational problems of infant children of substance-abusing parents. Extensive searches were conducted in databases in the fields of education, medicine, social sciences, and the humanities. In particular, studies on the problems of "crack…

A program was developed by a nurse/counselor to provide individual education and counseling for mothers having high-risk infants admitted to a Special Care Nursery after delivery. The program begins as soon after delivery as possible and evaluates the mother's skills, attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge of childrearing practices necessary for caring…

Some of the principal research advances of the 1970s related to pregnancy and newborn infants and consequent changes in obstetrical practice are summarized in this report. The process of infant-parent attachment (bonding), adolescent pregnancy, and the reproductive hazards of tobacco, alcohol, and poor nutrition have been investigated and, in…

This longitudinal study investigated the relationship of stress arising from medical problems of newborns to parent-infant interaction through the infant's first year. Significant interactive differences between full term and premature infants were found in feeding situations during the neonatal period and in floor play at eight months. The sample…

Legislative, judicial, and administrative activity surrounding questions raised about treatment of critically ill newborns are discussed, including the Indiana Baby Doe case, the March 1983 Baby Doe II rule and its invalidation, the related lawsuit, and recent congressional activity regarding amendment of the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment…

This conference paper discusses the results of a study that investigated the characteristics and needs of mothers participating in Hawaii's Healthy Start Program (HSP). The HSP is a screening and outreach program with two components: (1) the early identification component, which consists of community-based screening to identify newborns at…

Discusses the structure, reliability, stability, validity and usefulness of the Brazelton Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) and the results of factor and regression analyses of data collected using the NBAS. (Author/BH)

Examined over 200 perinatal variables relating to mothers and to children's neurological, cognitive, and motor functions at 15 months and 4 and 7 years. Factor analysis identified latent variables that characterized covariations among perinatal variables. There were many correlations to children's outcomes, particularly for variables relating to…