Points out the need for and proposes a developmental model of self-understanding (the cognitive basis for self-conception), analyzing the self as a cognitive concept and giving a chronological account of developmental trends in self-understanding. (RH)

Screening tests indicated that 141 out of 106,565 infants examined in New York City during 1979-80, had various forms of sickle cell anemia. Follow-up of 131 patients confirmed the original diagnoses, suggesting that the New York City Follow-up Program for Sickle Cell Screening of newborns was successful. (Author/MJL)

Describes a model of risk potential for developmental outcome that was based on cardiac, medical, surgical, and family stress factors in 31 children with transposition of the great arteries. All children had undergone reparative open heart surgery utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass during infancy. (Author/RH)

Addresses three questions: (1) To what extent do risk factors of prematurity and illness affect neonatal characteristics? (2) Do these risk factors continue to account for differences in mother and infant social interactive behavior at three months? and (three) To what degree are neonatal characteristics predictive of mother and infant behavior at…

Surveyed 27 mothers to study the development of positive perception of their newborn infant. Results showed the relationship between prenatal attitudes and infant perception was related to mothers' age, mothers' tendency to use informational cues of infant behavior, and emotional upheaval mothers anticipate with the infant's arrival. (WAS)

Emotional responses and coping behavior in children (eight boys and eight girls in each of three age groups: 6 to 12 months, 18 to 36 months, and 42 to 60 months) were observed during pediatric examinations. Results showed the effect of age and time period (before, during, or following the examination) on children's levels of negative emotion. (MP)

In order to determine (1) the major speech characteristics of mothers and fathers and (2) the relationship between parental input and child language development, a longitudinal analysis of parents' input language was conducted during the period in which four first-born children progressed from no words to the stable use of one-word utterances in…

Reviews research findings concerning benefits of particular forms of infant stimulation. Suggests stimulation has a soothing effect on infants. Proposes that, because many parents react with anxiety to infant stress, the use of these stimulation techniques may not only soothe the infant, but also relax the parents. (Author/RC)

Discusses the modifications in the direction of simplified and more linear language (American Sign Language) used by deaf mothers with their deaf children. (EKN)

Mothers of 25 Down's syndrome infants completed a questionnaire in order to identify the infants' temperamental characteristics. Only two infants were found to be easy children--a finding which contrasts with the amiable,mild stereotype for the syndrome. Mothers' verbal ratings of the child were more positive than their questionnaire responses…

Imitation by infants functions in two ways: (1) to help the individual understand a puzzling event, and (2) to indicate mutuality with another person. Although changes in cognitive understanding influence the course of imitation, the occurrence of imitation in specific situations may be governed by the interplay of the two functions that imitation…

The neuromotor development of Down's syndrome (DS) infants is reviewed, current physical therapy approaches are cited, a neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) approach is described, and a study on the effects of NDT on motor performance in DS infants is reported. (SB)

More than 85 percent of the physicians surveyed indicated they are the initial informants to parents regarding the existence of a handicap and the information is immediately presented after birth to both parents, including specific diagnostic labels, possible causation, prognosis, and resources for the family. (Author)

The authors discuss methodological and theoretical issues in psychological investigations of infant attention, fixation times, habituation, and intelligence. A consensus on how to measure individual differences in habituation has not been reached. The relation between IQ and attention is discussed. (RD)

Eleven infants with Down's syndrome and 10 of 11 nonhandicapped infants operated an automatic device which enabled them to choose to listen to nursery rhymes sung or played on musical instruments. Both groups preferred the singing, and the Down's Syndrome infants had much longer response durations for the more complex auditory stimuli. (Author/DB)