This study examined the effect of the young child-carrying practices of Nigerian women on gross motor and language development in young children. The data collected were designed to help ascertain if and how these practices affect the child's later development. The data documented a variety of factors, including: general medical background,…

This report of the Quality 2000 Initiative documents the quality crisis in early care and education in the United States, discussing the reasons for this crisis and suggesting a plan for improvement. Part 1 of the report: describes the mediocre quality of care cited in the Cost, Quality, and Child Outcomes Study, the erosion of quality since 1980,…

Some parents associate 2-year-old children with tantrums, defiance, and getting into everything. But the 2-year-old is also in the midst of one of the most significant transitions in the human life cycle. This book provides a guide for parents to help them understand the nature and course of their child's development and behavior at the 2-year-old…

Based on the view that every adopted child will have been exposed to psychological pain as a result of separation or other hurtful experiences, this book examines issues relating to adoption, attachment, and child development. The book offers guidance to adoptive and foster parents on helping their children through separation, loss, and trauma in…

Noting an increasing consensus that meeting care and education goals for infants and toddlers is a societal as well as a family responsibility, this book provides an "educare" curriculum for infants and toddlers, emphasizing both education and care perspectives. Part 1 of the book provides basic principles of good infant and toddler…

Distributed by the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Education, and Health and Human Services, this pamphlet provides parents with information and advice about their infants in the fifth month of life. Following a brief description of developmental characteristics at this age, the pamphlet offers information on topics including infant medicines,…

This paper summarizes the proceedings of a 1999 symposium on mental health in infants and toddlers, particularly the role of attachment, held at the University of Minnesota. Presentations by Kathryn Barnard of the University of Washington and Anne Gearity of the University of Minnesota are included. Following an introduction and conference…

Noting that good feeding practices will prevent malnutrition and early growth retardation, which are still common in some parts of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region, this report provides a scientific rationale for the development of national nutrition and feeding recommendations for children from birth to 3 years and presents…

The Resource Families project experiments with new ways of meeting information, support, and assistance needs of Italian families with infants and defines new directions and procedures to inform the development of regional social policies in Italy. The project, funded through the Bernard van Leer Foundation and managed by ISPES (Instituto per la…

Explores differences in temperament of preterm and full-term infants at three and six months of age. Preterm infants were generally rated more difficult than full-term infants at both ages. All infants were generally rated less difficult at six than at three months. (Author/BB)

Compared Duchenne and non-Duchenne smiles of 1- to 6-month olds during weekly videotapes of mother/infant interaction for clues regarding emotional significance. Correlated levels of Duchenne and non-Duchenne smiling within sessions; found that they had similar developmental trajectories. Duchenne smiles were typically preceded by non-Duchenne…

Studied the imitation behavior of thirty 14- to 18-month-olds using peer and adult models in an elicited imitation paradigm. Indicated significant memory for 3-step behavior sequences both immediately after modeling and 1 week later compared with baseline performance. Found that children in the peer model group outperformed children in the adult…

Mothers whose infants varied in early biological characteristics (born at term, n = 120; born at very low birth weight [VLBW], n = 144) were randomized to a target group (n = 133) or developmental feedback comparison group (n = 131) to determine whether learning responsive behaviors would facilitate infant development. The target condition…

The Assessment of Preterm Infants' Behavior (APIB) is a newborn neurobehavioral assessment appropriate for preterm, at risk, and full-term newborns, from birth to 1 month after expected due date. The APIB is based in ethological--evolutionary thought and focuses on the assessment of mutually interacting behavioral subsystems in simultaneous…

This newsletter contains six articles: (1) "Early Flavor Experiences: When Do They Start?" Julie A. Mennella and Gary K. Beauchamp); (2) "Infant Massage" (Tiffany Field); (3) "The Infant's Sixth Sense: Awareness and Regulation of Bodily Processes" (Stephen W. Porges); (4) "Sensory Contributions to Action: A…