The behavior modification procedure, carried out at mealtime with a ten-year-old retarded boy who had spastic cerebral palsy, consisted of differential reinforcement and punishment, and resulted in substantial decreases in tongue thrust (reverse swallowing) and food expulsion, and a large increase in observed chewing. (Author/DLS)

Case of a severely handicapped preschooler illustrates advantages of home-based infant stimulation program. Initial goals were: work toward physical separation of mother and child, shape and reinforce child's behavior to extinguish crying, shape and reinforce mother's behavior to enrich home environment, and stimulate and reinforce a developmental…

Investigated 130 2-parent families with children who had mild, moderate, or severe cerebral palsy to examine the critical family strengths which contributed to the overall health and health improvement of these children. Used the Typology Model of Adjustment and Adaptation to examine the relationships between family stress, family types,…

The study of 883 individuals, age 45 and older, with cerebral palsy and mental retardation, found (1) the presence of cerebral palsy differentiates this group, (2) there were more males than females at all age levels, (3) there were virtually no non-Whites in old-old group, (4) and there were decreases in seizure rates with age. (DB)

This review of the effects of contingency experience on development and data from a model intervention program provides evidence demonstrating how basic technology can be used to teach young children with developmental disabilities that the environment is responsive and controllable and to promote positive attentional, emotional, and motivational…

Effects of two 9-month sports programs (four or two sessions per week) on daily physical activity (PA), fat mass (FM), and physical fitness were assessed in 20 Dutch children (ages 7-13) with spastic cerebral palsy. Four sessions per week tended to increase PA ratio and held FM constant. (Author/CR)

Twenty young children (mean age = 32 months) with cerebral palsy (CP) recruited from early intervention programs received 30 minutes of massage or reading twice weekly for 12 weeks. The children receiving massage therapy showed fewer physical symptoms including reduced spasticity, less rigid muscle tone overall and in the arms, and improved fine…

This study investigated typically developing children's attitudes to physical and intellectual disabilities using the "Peer Attitudes Toward the Handicapped Scale" (PATHS). Participants were 202 children aged from 9 to 12 years in mainstream classes in the UK. The effect of knowledge about disabilities on attitudes was investigated by…

The purpose of this study was to examine the application of the Personal and Social Responsibility Model (PSRM) in an adapted physical activity program. Although the PSRM was developed for use with underserved youth, scholars in the field of adapted physical activity have noted its potential relevance for children with disabilities. Using a…

Home interviews were given to 369 families of children (3-18 years old) with cystic fibrosis, cerebral palsy, myelodysplasia, and multiple physical handicaps to determine the impact of childhood disability on families. Results were compared with those of 465 control families who had one or more non-handicapped children in that age range. A cross…

This paper, in reviewing four different studies, discusses the influence of some basic parameters or aspects of a sign on the accuracy of perceiving that sign. This information can aid the teaching of signs to the mentally retarded, the autistic, the cerebral palsied, and the hearing adult. A series of studies was conducted in which the aim was to…

Attitudes toward their ambulatory status of two groups of cerebral palsied (50 wheelchair status and 54 crutches and braces status) adolescents and young adults were compared. Analysis of questionnaire and demographic survey responses indicated that the wheelchair group viewed ambulation with crutches and braces in a more favorable light than did…

Following a 10-day period of daily assessment on the Goodenough Draw-A-Person Test and a visual matching task, a seven and a half year-old female with cerebral palsy received eight days of half-hour instruction targeting each skill area. Continued daily assessment during instruction demonstrated substantial improvement in test scores. (JW)

This study, an approach to controlling "acting out" behavior of handicapped children in elementary schools, discusses sensory extinction as an approach to reducing the disruptive classroom behavior of a nine-year-old severely retarded boy through behavioral consultation. (Author/PN)

Young children (153 normal preschool and primary graders, 19 cerebral palsied 5 to 15 year olds, and 16 learning disabled 7 to 12 year olds) were given a test of immediate visual memory which required selection of a geometric design from among six alternatives, including a mirror image and a rotation. (CL)