Videotaped interaction of six infants, some deaf and some hearing, shows comparable stages and sequences of communicative development; the use of performative gestures or single vocalizations; use of referential gestures; combination of signs, gestures, and words; and signs combined with signs or words with words. (MSE)

Four mothers and their six-month-old infants were video-taped in their homes during the six- to eight-month period of the infants' lives in order to investigate the relationship between mother-infant vocal patterns and the emotional expression. Overall, findings suggested that emotional expression provides important cues around which mothers and…

Discusses stages very young children pass through as they learn to tell stories, including related activities such as picture telling and personal narrations. Also suggests how adults can recognize children's stories, and the role adults can play in facilitating children's story telling. Educational implications are indicated. (RH)

Provides guidelines for conducting art activities with very young children, paying particular attention to the function of play equipment as artistic catalyst, approaches to creativity, and the role of the adult in providing a supportive presence. (RH)

Examines the level and quality of object play and other cognitive and socioemotional aspects of the play situation, both as individual entities and as interrelated aspects of the way the child with Down syndrome approaches and deals with the animate and inanimate world. Relationships among these aspects and the child's level of functioning were…

Describes the acquisition of a set of nonverbal intentionally communicative behaviors for six preverbal infants followed longitudinally. Results show a trend for a set of communicative intentions to emerge in the following sequence: (1) protesting, (2) request for action, (3) request for object, (4) comment on action, (5) comment on object, and…

Looking behavior for 11 Downs syndrome and 11 nonretarded infants was coded while they played with their mothers without toys. No significant group differences were found for maternal looking, holding, and vocalization behavior, but the Downs syndrome infants looked toward their mother nearly twice as often as the contrast group. (Author/SW)

A relationship-focused model in intervention programs with families of developmentally disabled infants encourages parent-infant reciprocal interactions and promotes generalized parent competence and problem solving skills. A home-based program using family consultants to focus on parent-infant interaction is described. (CL)

Seven mother/newborn pairs, selected for neurological and obstetric optimality of the babies, were observed during two breastfeedings in order to gain insight into the temporal organization of early interaction between healthy babies and their mothers. (MP)

Considers the possibility that infants from different linguistic backgrounds babble similarly. Results of an experiment show that Spanish- and English-learning babies produce predominantly CV syllables with voiceless, unaspirated plosive consonants. Vowel production is also similar. (EKN)

Describes a program for handicapped children in the Lubbock (TX) Independent School District. The program helps through the child's first three years and guides the parent to resources so that time is not lost before kindergarten. (JOW)

Referral advice was requested for mildly mentally retarded infants, profoundly mentally retarded infants, or Down's syndrome infants. Years of practice and population of town where the practice was located were the two variables that showed statistically significant relationships to physicians' advice. (Author)

The results of studies regarding intelligence in infancy are reviewed, and are compatible with Sternberg's findings on intelligence in adulthood. It is suggested that a major aspect of intelligence--attitude toward and performance with novel kinds of concepts--is continuous in nature throughout the life span, but requires different measurement…

Discusses strategies used in conducting an educational program for infants and toddlers. Purposes of infant and toddler education and differences in infant versus preschool programing are discussed. (Author/RH)

Examples are presented which highlight some problems associated with intervention programs for high-risk infants. These studies suggest a number of implications for social policy. Infant intervention will be continuously effective only if policymakers consult with not only program directors, but also clinicians, teachers, researchers and parents.…