A discussion of the findings of a recent follow-up study of children who had participated in one of fourteen infant or preschool experimental programs during the 1960's. (BD)

Data from the observation of sensory stimuli in the premature infant's hospital environment suggest that premature infants may suffer from an inappropriate pattern rather than an inadequate amount of stimulation. (Author/JMB)

This study compared the smiling behavior of 76 infants during a regular day to their smiling during a brief elicitation by the mother and investigated the extent to which a mother is able to intentionally elicit smiling or vocalization. (Author/JMB)

This naturalistic field study of child-rearing patterns compared observational and developmental data for 60 home-based and 60 day care center-based Swedish toddlers. (Author/JMB)

The history, present programs, attendance figures, staffing, services delivered, and functions of child health care in Australia are presented. (SB)

The comparative value of various parameters of neonatal prematurity for differentiating intellective, scholastic, and social functioning in middle childhood was assessed for a sample of 38 prematurely born and 26 maturely born subjects aged 7 to 9.5 years. (Author/JMB)

The use of multidomain instruments for screening or diagnostic purposes with handicapped infants and preschoolers is reviewed. Purposes of assessment and criteria for instrument utility are presented. Five multidomain screening tools and three multidomain diagnostic instruments are reviewed with respect to their validity, reliability, and utility.…

Examination of object word learning and use in beginning (vocabulary of less than 50 words) and advanced (vocabulary of more than 50 words) infant speakers indicated that both groups formed concepts, learned, and generalized words for the to-be-learned objects. Advanced speakers learned more words and concepts and engaged in broader generalization…

Adults' perceptions of infants' cries were evaluated by means of multidimensional scaling. Twenty-four nonparents and 20 parents judged the similarity of all possible pairs of 12 recorded cries. Subjects also rated the cries on 29 attributes, including perceived aversiveness, possible caretaking responses, affective responses, and semantic…

Reports relationship between asymmetries in frontal-brain electrical activity and individual differences in affective response in 35 ten-month-old females. Stranger-approach, mother-approach, and maternal-separation experiences were presented while an electroencephalogram (EEG) from scalp regions was recorded and facial and other behavioral…

Explored infants' capability to request a partner's participation in social games. Nineteen infants who were 9, 12, 15, and 18 months old played games for 30 minutes in a laboratory setting with an adult partner. Children's nonverbal behavior and vocalizations after the adult discontinued play were compared with behavior during game-playing…

Seven techniques for measuring information processing in infants are proposed to aid in the early identification of mental retardation. The techniques are based on conditioning, attentional, and manual exploration paradigms and could be combined into an assessment battery more valid than current infant IQ tests in predicting later disability.…

Galectosaemia, a treatable and potentially preventable cause of brain damage and mental retardation is discussed with emphasis on neonatal screening tests, treatment with a galactose-free diet, and evidence of treatment effectiveness. (DB)

Issues raised by the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984 (which provide for legal intervention when disabled newborns are denied medical treatment) are discussed and include: parents' right to make the final decision, omission of "quality of life" factors from the law, and excessive financial burdens imposed by the law. (Author/DB)