Iron consumption among mothers has recently been found to decrease the risk of autism in offspring. However, epidemiological evidence of an increasing iron deficiency among mothers or infants is lacking, and evidence within an individual-level framework of iron deficiency confers doubt upon iron's role as a direct cause of autism. We attempt to…

Childhood-onset schizophrenia is an exceedingly rare mental illness whose complex, multifaceted behavioral presentation can disrupt child development and raise diagnostic and treatment difficulties for attending clinicians. The disorder, affecting one in 30,000 children, shares the same diagnostic criteria and symptoms as its adult counterpart,…

The article explores recent findings on Fatal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), patterns of malformation, alcohol and other drugs, the toxicity of ethanol, the incidence of FAS, and implications of the syndrome. (Author)

The booklet, written in Spanish, is intended to help parents of babies with cleft lip and/or cleft palate. Topics covered include the sequence of prenatal development and the effects of birth defects, common misconceptions about what causes the conditions, possible hereditary and environmental causes, and what it means to have a cleft palate or a…

Children referred to the Learning Disorders Unit of the Yale-New Haven Hospital were evaluated for indications of prenatal exposure to ethanol. Our results suggest a continuum of teratogenic effects of ethanol on the central nervous system. Journal availability The C. V. Mosby Co., 11830 Westline Industrial Dr., St. Louis, MO 63141. (Author)

Analysis of 51 studies of developmental effects of prenatal exposure to alcohol in children from birth to 72 months found that, although adverse outcomes were found within each domain, age grouping, and exposure category, they comprised fewer than 50% of all outcomes measured. Most adverse outcomes were found in the neurobehavioral domain with…

The conference on Physical Trauma as a Cause of Mental Retardation dealt with two major areas of etiological concern - postnatal and perinatal trauma. Following two introductory statements on the problem of and issues related to mental retardation (MR) after early trauma to the brain, five papers on the epidemiology of head trauma cover…

The effects of anticonvulsant medication or alcohol use during pregnancy on the development of children are examined. Malformations of children whose mothers used anticonvulsant medications or alcohol while pregnant are illustrated. Prevention of the use of alcohol and anticonvulsant medication by pregnant women is discussed. (CR)

Presents a diminutive overview of research and a case study of Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS), a rare, genetically complex congenital disorder. Prenatal diagnosis of this case included omphalocele, hydonephrosis, and possible horseshoe kidney, detected by ultrasound. The characteristics of this disability and related problems are discussed.…

This proceedings document contains papers addressing trends, determinants, and interventions in preventing low birthweight. Papers have the following titles and authors: "Trends in Rates of Low Birthweight in the United States" (Mary McCormick); "Evolution of the Preterm Birth Rate in France" (Gerard Breart); "The Etiology…

This report highlights some of the projects supported by the Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities (MRDD) Branch of the Center for Research for Mothers and Children at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development since its last report in January 1997. The MRDD Branch provides support for research, research training,…

This manual presents information about major causes of developmental disabilities, discusses strategies to prevent development disabilities, and identifies relevant resources and reference material. Introductory information defines developmental disabilities and prevention (under Virginia statutes). The first section considers causes prior to and…

Presented are 13 papers describing the Seattle Project and reviewing the literature relevant to the project's purpose of developing and testing an assessment format to enable nurses to better identify health and developmental problems in children. Six papers pertaining to predictor variables cover the areas of prenatal and perinatal factors,…

Proceedings from the International Summit on Prevention of Mental Retardation from Biomedical Causes are provided. After a list of participants and summary of the highlights of the conference, the keynote address by H. Moser is presented. The following 13 papers are provided along with workshop recommendations and a list of main points elicited…