This Digest summarizes what is known about the successful transition of children with disabilities from infant/toddler services to preschool education. The ideal transition process is defined and characteristics of an ideal process such as meeting individual needs and providing uninterrupted services are listed. Also noted are issues in the…

Reviews the major substantive amendments to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act being proposed by the U.S. Senate, including changes in state and local educational agency eligibility; least restrictive environment; private school placement; evaluations, reevaluations, and Individualized Education Programs; discipline procedures;…

Notes that reading aloud to children is the single most important activity for assuring success in reading. Describes types of children's books and offers guidelines for book selection. Discusses several guidelines that help early childhood professionals experience successful infant and toddler book reading sessions, and includes bibliography of…

A study of 161 substance-abusing mothers assessed 10 maternal risk factors: maternal depression; domestic violence; nondomestic violence; family size; incarceration; no significant other at home; negative life events; psychiatric problems; homelessness; and drug use severity. Parenting stress and child abuse potential was higher for women with…

Describes a continuing medical education program designed to provide physicians with the information and skills necessary for early intervention. The model provides competency-based training through an introductory seminar and a program of independent study in the areas of child-find, assessment, Individualized Family Service Plan development, and…

Surveys of parent-infant programing at 81 schools for deaf children in 1982 and then in 1990 reflected increased parent-infant programing and a doubling of enrollment, especially in numbers of students receiving part-time instruction and home instruction. Additional data on student characteristics, program funding, and respondent concerns are…

New knowledge of the perceptual, discriminative, and memory capabilities of very young infants has opened the door to further evaluation of these abilities in infants who have risk factors for cognitive impairments. A neurophysiologic technique that has been very useful in this regard is the recording of event-related potentials (ERPs). The…

Compelling evidence from neuroscience about how early relationships and experience influence the architecture of the brain, and in turn early school success, has led to increasing policy and practice attention to implementing child development and family support programs like Early Head Start for infants and toddlers. But, there is also a group of…

Designed to help parents make informed decisions about child care, preschool, and kindergarten placements, this book answers typical questions other parents ask about schooling decisions. Chapter 1 is a resource section based on current research and educational theory, and provides a brief summary of the best and most recent thought on early…

Numerous studies have demonstrated predictive links between children's attachment relationships with parents and teachers and their success in the social contexts of child care and school. This body of research underlines the importance of children's ability to establish positive relationships with adults and to effectively use these adults to…

This book seeks to enable professionals who work in group settings with children ages birth to 5 years to develop a flexible and individualized approach to behavior management that is grounded in a full appreciation of a child's developmental stages and limited moral understanding. Young children's behavior is frequently a source of frustration…

This booklet for parents of young children with special needs provides a variety of child-rearing suggestions as well as a listing of resources. After an introduction which defines special needs and summarizes basic principles, the following chapters address: (1) the family as the child's most important support; (2) the evaluation process; (3)…

Intended for use in Florida training programs for caregivers of infants and toddlers with disabilities, this guide presents an overview of the Model of Interdisciplinary Training for Children with Handicaps (MITCH); offers a user's guide to the series; and provides specific information for presenting Module 12, which focuses on visual impairments.…

Children with Down Syndrome have the potential for the development of a large range and variety of postures, balance reactions, movements, and skills. Sometimes this potential remains relatively untapped resulting in unusual, inefficient, or even detrimental patterns of movement. By handling and playing with the child, he or she becomes more aware…

This text is Volume II of a comprehensive, self-instructional training program designed to address the training needs of child care programs serving children under 3 years of age. The two volumes are divided into modules that correspond to the 13 functional areas of the Child Development Associate competency standards. Each module contains an…