This booklet suggests ways for parents to help their preschool children grow, develop, and have fun learning. A brief opening section called "Learning Begins Early" provides a general context for the book. The second section, on what it means to be ready for school, describes the qualities and skills that youngsters need to get a good start in…

A study investigated the attitudes of Japanese breastfeeding mothers in the South Bay area in Los Angeles. The sample consisted of 20 Japanese mothers over the age of 18 who were born in Japan, who recently came to the United States, and whose youngest child has been breastfed for at least 6 months. Subjects were interviewed in their native…

This annual report presents data on the health status and needs of American children from infancy through adolescence. The report's first section gives general population data, providing context for sections two and three, which present data on health status and service utilization for American children. The fourth section contains state-specific…

Written by a retired kindergarten teacher with 25 years of experience, this paper presents the text for a video demonstration of at-home sensory activities to stimulate development in children from birth to age 5. The introduction notes recent research indicating that learning begins at birth, and explores the effect of early stimulation on…

This Spanish-language handbook, which was written by a retired kindergarten teacher with over 25 years of experience, is intended to help parents and caregivers prepare their child for formal schooling. It describes 260 learning activities, each based on a different developmental concept, and most requiring materials usually found in the home. An…

This manual is intended to provide the necessary information so that children and young people with disabilities can receive the money, health insurance, and other help to which they are entitled. Section 1 describes a model for assisting a family to identify their needs and goals and the types of benefits to which the child may be entitled.…

This study explored current University of Nebraska graduate course offerings which address content relative to infants, families, and/or the professional teamwork associated with services to handicapped or at-risk infants, toddlers, and their families. Faculty from 12 departments were surveyed as to their interest in interdisciplinary,…

This study identified critical factors in two states as they begin to develop family centered policies for the Infant and Toddlers Program as required by Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It focused on the Individual Family Service Plan, the identification of families' strengths and needs, and case management. Data were…

Because the assessment needs of young children and infants with handicaps are often quite different from those of the school-age populations with which child study teams have the most experience, this manual addresses issues relevant to the pre-kindergarten population. Chapter 1 provides an overview of general issues related to preschool…

This report explores social environmental supports and hazards to emotional, social, and linguistic development in infancy and early childhood. After a discussion of the prevalence and consequences of early language and emotional difficulties, selected studies that examined the effects of social experience on emotional and linguistic growth,…

In recognition of the close relationship between motor skill and cognitive development in the first 2 years of life, this guide presents 78 developmentally appropriate activities that parents and teachers can use to enhance infant and toddler motor development. Activities are categorized by age group as follows: (1) 16 activities for newborn to…

This document contains selected information consisting of text, data tables, and summaries related to two programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): (1) the Early Intervention Program for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities, Part H (renamed Part C on July 1, 1998) of IDEA, which covers services to children from birth…

This digest explores the knowledge base underpinning the present understanding of the preschool child. This knowledge base involves stages of mental and physical development, physical and psychological needs, conditions that tend to favor or retard the child's learning and development, and so on. The eight chapters of this digest focus on: (1)…

Intended for use by parents of infants and toddlers, this series of 27 8-page month-by-month newsletters provides research-based information on infant and child development and care from 0 to 36 months. Topics in the series for infants include: becoming a parent; getting ready for child birth; the newborn child; and characteristics of the child at…

Three early educational intervention programs designed to prevent mental retardation and to improve school readiness are profiled. The Abecedarian Project was begun as an experiment to test whether mental retardation, allegedly caused by inadequate environments, could be prevented by providing intensive preschool programs to children from birth to…