The paper reanalyzes data collected in a study af abusing mother-infant pairs, emphasizing the failure of infants with a history of physical abuse to develop appropriate language skills. Bayley Mental Development indices of abused infants decreased with age. Results are discussed in relation to patterns of maternal neglect ignoring and lack of…

Treatment outcomes of nine autistic children who began receiving intensive behavioral intervention prior to 60 months of age were compared with outcomes for nine children who entered the same program after 60 months of age. Age at program entry was found to be strongly related to positive treatment outcome. (Author/CL)

A total of 114 infants at three age levels (11, 18, and 28 weeks) were rated by their mothers on a termperament questionnaire and subjected to a habituation procedure. Results suggest that subject loss in habituation studies may be the result of nonrandom individual difference factors and not just the result of temporary fluctuations in state.…

The article reviews research on reactions of parents to the birth of Down Syndrome infants and offers suggestions for helping parents to adapt to the challenge. (CL)

The central importance of pragmatics in the developing language of hearing impaired infants and young children is considered, and implications for early intervention of research on context, communicative intent, discourse rules, and phonology are discussed. (CL)

Explores several approaches to infant/toddler education and offers suggestions for developing an effective program that reflects the best of what is known about how infants and toddlers grow and learn. (RH)

Videotape analysis of the interactions of a 13-month-old hearing impaired child and her mother and father revealed differences in the parents' topic shifting behaviors and verbal output to the child as well as in the child's vocal behavior as a function of her parent partner's behavior. (CL)

Investigates psychophysiological reactions of 60 women to an infant's cry and to a control sound. The 30-second pain cry evoked greater cardiac and electrodermal activity than did the control stimulus, although selected groups varied in the nature and extent of their reactions. Both maternal state and experience with infants affected reactions.…

Alternatives for future congressional involvement are presented, including a general statement of national intent regarding the rights of disabled newborns, substantive civil rights legislation prohibiting discriminatory practices against disabled infants, establishment of a congressional commission, and expanded funding for research in the field…

Explores two widely held beliefs that conflict with available evidence: (1) handicapped children don't play and (2) play is a good way for handicapped children to pass the time. Concludes by proposing that play can help handicapped children learn. (RH)

Analysis of filmed interactions between five mothers and their blind infants made at regular intervals over six months revealed that, although the frequency of the infants' vocalizations was within normal limits, the vocalizations did not follow normal patterns of responsiveness, and the mothers' responses were weak and inconsistent. (CL)

The article summarizes findings of an investigation comparing toddlers having anomalies with controls and with children born prematurely, using a combination of both standardized testing and direct observations of mother-child interaction. Results confirm that children with anomalies are at risk for mild cognitive deficits, language delays, and…

The article notes the difficulties in social interaction with disabled infants and considers ways in which adults need to adjust, relax, and have fun with the child. (CL)

Videotapes were taken of 57 mothers and their handicapped infants and of 23 mother-child dyads four months later in a study of the Teaching Skills Inventory, a measure to assess changes in parents' performance as teachers of their own children. (CL)

Research on emergence of language is briefly reviewed and its implications for visually handicapped children noted. A longitudinal study of three congenitally blind infants suggests the need for caution in applying normal developmental theories to the situation. (CL)