The thrifty phenotype and fetal overnutrition hypotheses are two developmental hypotheses that originated from the "developmental origins of health and disease" (DOHaD) perspective. The DOHaD posits that exposures experienced prenatally and early in life may influence health outcomes through altering form and function of internal organs…

Numerous studies report gene-environment interactions, suggesting that specific alleles have different effects on social outcomes depending on environment. In all these studies, however, environmental conditions are potentially endogenous to unmeasured genetic characteristics. That is, it could be that the observed interaction effects actually…

The worldwide incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs) ranges from 1.0 to 10.0 per 1,000 births with almost equal frequencies between two major categories: anencephaly and spina bifida (SB). Epidemiological studies have provided valuable insight for (a) researchers to identify nongenetic and genetic factors contributing to etiology, (b) public…

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,…

Six papers from a 1978 conference on birth defects focus on prevention. G. Stickle ("The Health of America's Babies: How Do We Stack Up?'" reviews risk in pregnancy, cites inadequate prenatal care and maternal nutrition, and discusses examples of how the United States is not applying its knowledge of how to improve pregnancy outcome. In "Genetic…

This report summarizes the proceedings of a workshop designed to review the current state of knowledge on prenatal and early postnatal determinants of obesity, and to identify areas for further research. The workshop was sponsored by the Committee on Nutrition of the Mother and Preschool Child, Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of…

Five separate bibliographies present citations of resources regarding prenatal risk, premature and low birthweight infants, infant nutrition and breastfeeding, and early intervention for infants with disabilities. The first bibliography lists 133 references from medical texts and journals regarding child development, disabilities, diagnosis, and…

The booklet summarizes proceedings from a conference on prenatal and perinatal factors associated with learning disabilities and neurological problems. Many of the papers report data from the Collaborative Perinatal Project of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, a longitudinal study of pregnancy…

This listing of print and non-print resources related to the prevention of developmental disabilities is intended for use by health professionals and the general public. An introductory section defines developmental disabilities, offers a statement of the problem in Ohio, and describes Ohio's system for prevention/early intervention and the Ohio…

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,…

Experiences in prenatal life and early childhood that may cause personality disorders or criminal behavior in later life are examined in these proceedings of the Subcommittee on Childhood Experiences as Causes of Criminal Behavior of the Standing Committee on Health, Welfare and Science. This issue, the first in a series of 19 hearings dating from…

Based on the view that individual variability is best understood as the result of influences from multiple domains operating over time, this book describes how different domains of influence operate, describes the operating processes in common to the different influences, and shows how these processes meet the criteria for a full-fledged system.…

Designed to simplify the search for federal government resources on maternal and child health, this guide was prepared for use by health professionals, educators, administrators, and the general public. It describes over 250 print and nonprint (posters, audiovisuals) resources in prenatal, infant, child, and adolescent health. The guide is divided…