This report, prepared pursuant to Public Law 98-183 (Child Abuse Amendments of 1984), examines the nature and extent of the practice of withholding medical treatment or nourishment from infants born with disabilities and makes recommendations to remedy deficiencies in existing law. Evidence suggests that decisions to withhold medically indicated…

Statistics are presented for eight measures of child and adolescent health, education, and social and economic well-being in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Indicators measured were: (1) percent low birth weight babies; (2) infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births); (3) child death rate ages 1-14 (per 100,000 children); (4)…

An analysis of longitudinal data on a sample of low-income mothers and children was conducted to identify maternal characteristics during pregnancy and infancy that predict child school adaptation during kindergarten. The sample consisted of low-income mothers recruited while receiving prenatal services from public health clinics. The children,…

This policy statement provides a framework for thinking about the many issues involved in developing assurance of adequate child care opportunities for infants and toddlers under 3 years of age. Specifically, the statement discusses (1) the special needs of infants and toddlers; (2) public policies to provide both financial and emotional support…

Specific and understandable suggestions are offered to parents of severely visually impaired children who have or may have the capacity to learn visually. Parents can assist children with even a small amount of vision to develop that vision from an early age. Vision development begins by ensuring that the child receives appropriate medical and…

Project LIFT is a 3-year model demonstration program designed to provide family-focused, home-based early intervention services to rural parents of handicapped children under 3 years of age. The LIFT model encompasses: (1) development of an Individual Family Service Plan, (2) case coordination to assist families in identifying and obtaining…

Three studies that applied quantitative procedures to measure motor and sensory/motor acquisition among handicapped and nonhandicapped infants and children are presented. In addition, a study concerning the replication of the quantitative procedures for assessing rolling behavior is described in a fourth article. The first study, by C. Janssen,…

Examined were the development and correlates of children's strategies for resisting maternal control. Subjects were 51 dyads consisting of depressed or nondepressed mothers and their young. Children were 1.5 to 3.5 years of age at first observation and 5 years old during the second. Data on parent and child behaviors were coded from 9 hours of…

Teachers who are specialists in motoric skill-building need to think about ways in which they can help the whole child develop. This paper discusses: (1) fine and gross motor development in infancy; (2) baby cuddling for optimal motoric development; (3) cross-cultural studies and infant body holding; (4) floor freedom for babies; (5) body language…

Efforts to prevent mental retardation have been encumbered by lack of scientific and technical knowledge, vague understanding of incidence and prevalence, and scarcity of resources to implement effective public policies. Scientific and social progress toward prevention has pursued a wavelike, erratic course, driven primarily by prevailing social,…

The book examines the implications of P.L. 99-457, the 1986 amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act, which mandates serving handicapped infants and toddlers. In chapter 1, the legislative history of P.L. 99-457 is reviewed along with associated funding issues. Chapter 2 focuses on the newest program, serving the birth to 2-year-old…

Work conducted by the Clinical Infant Development Program (CIDP) of the National Institute of Mental Health, involving 47 multirisk families and their infants over a period of several years, is described. Part I contains four detailed case studies by Delise Williams, Euthymia Hibbs, Serena Wieder and others, providing data for comprehensive…

The Infant/Toddler Program of the Louise Child Care Center began providing full time day care to young children of working parents in the fall of 1978. While delivering this service, the Center conducted a longitudinal, exploratory investigation into the responses of children and their families to a group-home day care setting. The study was…

Consideration is given to several issues that challenge parents and professionals when faced with the need for group care for infants. Discussion concerns characteristics wanted in those providing care for infants; the need for continuity in care and stability of the caregiver staff; the need for staff to infant ratios that contribute to…

A short-term descriptive assessment, this study provides summary data on the Parent-Child Center (PCC) comprehensive early childhood intervention programs initiated in 1967 and operated by the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families. PCCs provide low income families with children under three with social service, health, and educational…