Interviews Virginia Varga, Montessori teacher trainer and initiator of the first Montessori toddler program in the country. Discusses her childhood, how she became involved in Montessori, the benefits of the toddler program in terms of the child developing a sense of independence, and what Ms. Varga thinks the future holds for Montessori…

This article discusses the assessment and evaluation of infants and toddlers with disabilities or at risk for developing disabilities, recent contributions to knowledge of assessment of infants and toddlers, current practices, and future trends. The paper cautions against using one test for all purposes or using a test with an insufficient…

Describes how parents can instill habits of safety in very young children to help their future teenagers be safe and responsible drivers. Discusses the importance of developing safety habits while automobile and bicycle riding, instilling in toddlers a sense of responsibility through practice, being aware of the power of parental modeling, and…

This article discusses why the universal adoption of family-centered values and practice in early intervention is problematic in the context of the current state of early intervention. Recommendations are provided for the new millennium, including participatory research in family-centered early intervention and personnel preparation based on…

This article refutes 10 myths and identifies literature that supports service delivery to infants and toddlers with disabilities in natural settings. The benefits of naturalistic intervention, home-based services, and family-centered services are discussed, and concerns regarding therapist shortages, ethical problems, personal safety of providers,…

This article argues that the use of developmental apraxia of speech (DAS) as a label for infants and toddlers who are prelinguistic may prematurely label a young child. Diagnostic indicators are reviewed and suggestions for diagnostic therapy to pursue appropriate differential diagnoses in the infant-toddler population are proposed. (Contains…

A rationale for and components of a development systems model are presented to guide early intervention programs. Core principles emphasizing a developmental framework, integration, and inclusion are expressed in the context of a multicomponent interactive system. The model's focus on maximizing family patterns of interaction by addressing…

Babies are active participants in their learning and need to explore a variety of objects. Nurturing relationships support these explorations. Objects are more clearly remembered and understood. Thus, one activity this article suggests doing with a 12-month-old to encourage abstract thinking, is talking about how squeezing the bottle of ketchup…

This discussion concerns the advantages and disadvantages of using family day care, the most widely used form of day care in the United States. Advantages are that family day care providers generally: (1) accept younger infants than do centers; (2) are often conveniently located; (3) often have flexible hours; (4) provide home-like environments;…

Discusses various factors which need to be considered when designing physical environments for infants and toddlers in child care settings. Along with the developmental differences and needs of infants and toddlers, these factors include health and safety, variety, flexibility, scale and proportion, softness and responsiveness, and harmony and…

Reports the findings of a group established to respond to the request of the Secretaire d'Etat a la Famille for proposals toward an early childhood policy. Describes the range of care for French children under three years. Highlights the disparities in terms of quality, availability, and cost. Offers proposals for correcting these problems. (CB)

This document presents the consensus statement of a 2-day conference which addressed issues concerned with the early identification of hearing impairment. The conference resulted in the following consensus conclusions: (1) all infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit should be screened for hearing loss prior to discharge; (2) universal…

Discusses five critical issues pertaining to quality infant care: improving training for caregivers of infants and toddlers, ensuring health and safety, meeting special needs of children and their parents, balancing high quality and affordability, and evaluating program effectiveness. (RH)

Synthesizes the research on infant-parent interaction and proposes a model for introducing and including infant-parent interaction in family-centered early intervention with young children having disabilities. The model stresses the family's vision for the child's future and the family's role in active decision making. (DB)

Issues related to training of personnel working with handicapped infants/toddlers and their families center on two major areas: content of training and process of training. Following an analysis of within-discipline and cross-discipline content and within-discipline and cross-discipline training processes, recommendations are offered concerning…