Investigated overextensions in comprehension and production, using the preferential-looking model, in 99 children (ages 1;9 to 2;3) who were asked to find the referent that matched the label they were given in real and anomalous trials. Results confirm that overextensions in production are not diagnostic of children's underlying semantic…

This report addresses proficiencies, knowledge, and skills deemed necessary for 12 roles of the multidisciplinary team providing federally mandated services for deaf and hard-of-hearing children (from birth to 36 months of age). Roles include, among others, working with families, otological evaluation, provision/management of sensory devices, and…

This study examined adult and child word-initial voice onset time productions in English and Hindi to determine the age of acquisition of the phonemic voice contrast. Cross-linguistic differences in patterns of acquisition were found, but these were not necessarily traced to the different phonological systems. (JL)

The development of pointing, reaching, and other communicative gestures in 22 preverbal children with Down syndrome, ages 21 to 47 months, was studied in two contexts (referential/declarative versus instrumental/imperative) and with mothers versus agemates with Down syndrome. Considerations relating to delayed language development with this…

Considers the bases of criticism of parent report as an index of their children's behavioral development and ways in which problems associated with parent report were addressed in the construction of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories (CDIs). Examines the nature of responses elicited from parents as they complete the CDIs. (BC)

This study of family perceptions of early intervention services used a written survey (quantitative) completed by 539 parents of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers receiving early intervention services and in-depth, semistructured interviews (qualitative) with 12 parents. It found overwhelming satisfaction with most services, with some concerns…

Reviews five articles on infants and toddlers and the adults who care for them. Includes discussions of caregiver stability and attachment behavior; infants' sensory abilities; alternative public schooling for pregnant teenagers; and the psychosocial, behavioral, and developmental characteristics of toddlers prenatally exposed to cocaine. (DR)

Rasch calibration procedures were applied to item-response data for the 1,262 infants and toddlers comprising the standardization sample for the Mental Scale of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Analyses tend to confirm the psychometric integrity of the instrument. (Author)

Maintains that infants and toddlers, parents, and child caregivers are vulnerable to a variety of infectious diseases from infant-toddler child care centers. These diseases include infectious diarrhea; rubella; cytomeglovirus; hepatitis A, and haemophilus influenza type B. Suggests ways to prevent the spread of such diseases. (BB)

This article compares and contrasts provisions for procedural safeguards and due process hearings under 2 sections of Public Law 99-457: Part B, dealing with children ages 3-5, and Part H, dealing with infants and toddlers. Potential problems under Part H are pointed out and suggestions are made for implementing Part H safeguards without conflict.…

This study found that the speech of mothers (n=28) of toddlers slow to acquire expressive language tended to differ only in the frequency of use of lexical contingency devices (specifically expansion and extension of child speech), when compared to mothers of normally speaking toddlers. (Author/DB)

Twenty-eight toddlers with slow expressive language development were compared to normally speaking age-mates and found to show delayed rather than deviant development in the average level of complexity of their syllable structures, the number of different consonant phonemes produced, and the percentage of consonants correctly produced in…

Based on information provided by Anglo and Puerto Rican mothers living in the New Haven, Connecticut area, culturally sensitive vignettes of toddler attachment behavior were constructed. In response to the vignettes, Anglo mothers focused on children's individual autonomy, while Puerto Rican mothers emphasized children's maintenance of proper…

This study evaluated the effects of a home-based parent training program on the language development of young children of 28 mothers with mental retardation. Interaction training consisted of verbal instruction, modeling, feedback, and tangible reinforcement. After training, parent/child interaction scores were no longer lower than those of a…

Reviews research into the effects of various child care environments on the emotional and intellectual well-being of children. Examines factors of early education group settings that could facilitate a positive learning and emotional climate without detriment to infant-mother attachment. Suggests measures at the home, day-care, and public policy…