Compared children's cognitive abilities at four years and their prenatal amniotic fluid testosterone levels. For girls, prenatal testosterone levels were related in a curvilinear manner to language comprehension and classification abilities, and inversely related to counting and knowledge of number facts. For boys, no relationships were found. (BC)

This study compared phonological patterns in the speech of 25 children prenatally exposed to cocaine and multiple drugs and with 25 non-exposed children (all children ages 22 to 51 months). Prenatal exposure to drugs was associated with an increase in the use of phonological processes. Results suggest that these children's speech development is…

Possible prenatal, perinatal, and postnatal causes of cerebral palsy are explored and a causal pathway theory is presented that provide a methodology to study the impact of the various causal factors. The role of an interdisciplinary team in assessment and program development is discussed and prevention strategies are presented. (Contains…

Identifies stages in a child's life (particularly low-income children) at which he might be "disadvantaged" or "advantaged" in relation to certain influences in his life at that time, and argues that the child experiences the most critical influences before the school receives him.

Examines the conflicting views in the literature on the effects of prenatal exposure to drugs and reports on an early intervention project in a New York City agency. The rate of developmental delay was found to be virtually the same for children with and without prenatal exposure to drugs. (TJQ)

Examined associations between early childhood temperament and factors during mothers' pregnancy. Responses to maternal questionnaires of psychological distress during pregnancy and maternal observations of infants at 6 months and 5 years of age indicated a connection between first-trimester distress and negative emotionality in 5-year-old…

Reported is a research program to observe children at high risk for schizophrenia and explore possibilities of prevention. Characteristics of the high risk group (n=207) observed during 1962 are discussed, and a theory which suggests that schizophrenia is an evasion of life is explained. Among results of a diagnostic assessment conducted 10 years…

Children with HIV infection, although they remain healthy and exhibit age-appropriate development, can be mainstreamed without program modifications or specialized treatment. Such children should be included in definitions of eligibility for at-risk services. Ideally, general developmental stimulation should be initiated before symptoms emerge.…

Prenatal cocaine exposure is an indicator for adverse developmental outcomes. To prevent developmental disabilities, an early intervention program for children birth to 3 years was developed that included three groups: center-based, home-based, and primary care comparison. The intervention was implemented across 10 years and data were collected on…

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…

A follow-up study examined cognitive and motor development in 52 children prenatally exposed to cocaine (ages 48-64 months) and 52 typical children. Results found that the children who were prenatally exposed to cocaine continued to exhibit problems in expressive and receptive language areas. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A study examined cognitive and motor development in 56 toddlers prenatally exposed to cocaine (ages 12-27 months) and 56 typical toddlers. Infants prenatally exposed to cocaine experienced developmental problems in expressive and receptive language areas. In addition, there was a possible relationship between cocaine exposure and subsequent…

The impact of premature birth on associative learning was evaluated using simple delay eyeblink conditioning in which a tone conditional stimulus was paired with an air puff unconditional stimulus. Fourteen preterm (28-31 weeks gestation) and 11 full-term infants completed at least 3 conditioning sessions, 1 week apart, at 5 months of age…