This study examined event-related potentials (ERPs) to synthetic consonant-vowel syllables from 26 newborns with familial risk for dyslexia and 23 control infants participating in a longitudinal study of dyslexia. Results indicated that the cortical electric activation evoked by speech elements differed between children with and without risk for…

The expansion of newborn screening programs to include multiplex testing by tandem mass spectrometry requires understanding and close monitoring of performance metrics. This is not done consistently because of lack of defined targets, and interlaboratory comparison is almost nonexistent. Between July 2004 and April 2006 (N = 176,185 cases), the…

This most recent Iowa Kids Count data book, "Iowa Kids Count 2010: Trends in the Well-Being of Iowa Children," provides data on 20 different indicators of child and family well-being at the United States, Iowa, substate and county level. The annually produced data book presents health, education, welfare and economic data including…

In a longitudinal study of 29 middle-class Japanese infants, an attempt was made to identify early temperamental dispositions that predict later attachment classification. Specifically, Ainsworth Strange Situation observations at 12 months of age were preceded by, among others, observation of distress evident in newborns when a nipple was removed;…

The materials cited in this annotated bibliography focus on maternal and infant health and the critical importance of good nutrition. Audiovisuals and books are listed in 152 citations derived from online searches of the AGRICOLA database. Materials are available from the National Agricultural Library or through interlibrary loan to a local…

To determine progress in identifying hearing loss in large populations of newborns, a questionnaire was sent to state agencies in 50 states plus the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands. The questionnaire addressed three major topics: use of a high risk register, use of birth certificate screening, and future consideration of birth…

Two studies were conducted to examine (1) 1- to 3-day-old infants' imitation of their mothers, and (2) mothers' imitation of their newborn infants. For the infant imitation study, 30 mothers and their infants served as subjects. Two observers stood behind the mother to view the infant's face while the mother presented one of the following…

Evidence that hemispheric asymmetry is present at birth comes from several sources: physical structure of the brain, hand preference, and responses to visual and auditory stimuli. In infancy, a hemisphere is activated only when exposed to an appropriate stimulus. Different stimuli seem to activate one hemisphere only, or at least one hemisphere…

This article contains a review of recent research on the: (1) effects of immediate post partum mother infant contact; (2) effects of early separation of parents and babies in neonatal intensive care; and (3) facilitation of reciprocal interaction between mothers and their infants in neonatal intensive care. A brief description of a study that…

This paper offers a concise 3-page summary of the results of some investigations of sucking behavior during the neonatal period. This is followed by a page of references and 16 pages of pertinent diagrams and their descriptions. The investigations are the result of an objective technique developed for measuring the nutritive sucking behavior of…

Describes two experiments which examined the relation between neonatal cry features and obstetric histories. Experiment 1 showed differences in pitch and durational features between the cries of high- and low-complication newborns. Experiment 2 showed differences in the cry ratings of the two groups on dimensions such as aversive, sick, urgent,…

A historical review of neonatal assessment procedures is presented to demonstrate the trends in advancement of the field and attempts toward collaboration of medicine and psychology in contributions to the area. (Author/JMB)

This paper reviews a few studies, both in animals and humans, that are relevant in helping us to understand factors affecting infant-mother interaction. (MM)

This article is a critique of a study which concluded that there is a relationship between the use of obstetrical drugs and the behavior of infants during the first month of life. (BRT)

This article is a reply to a critique of the authors' study which concluded that there is a relationship between the use of obstetrical drugs and the behavior of infants during the first month of life. (BRT)