A description of infant capabilities and review of perinatal intervention programs are used to clarify the relationship between enhancing parent-infant interactions and preventing child abuse and neglect. Research data demonstrating the efficacy of the programs are reviewed and suggestions offered for the practical application of the programs.…

Addresses the contributions Catholic educators can make to students' understanding of the conception and protection of life and of pregnancy. Suggests that educators present abstinence as the preferred form of birth control. Describes programs for improving prenatal care. (DMM)

This paper examines the prevalence of domestic violence directed against pregnant women of Mexican origin. About 18 percent of Hispanic women experience abuse by a partner. Over half of abused women incur injuries during pregnancy, which subjects the fetus to significant risks of preterm birth, low birth weight, injury, or death. Interviews and…

Recent neuropathology studies identify hypoxia as the main cause of perinatal cerebral damage. Cerebral lesions present at birth, with transition to chronic scar lesions, are correlated to mental retardation, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and minimal brain dysfunction. Gestation age and severity of hypoxic exposure essentially determine the cerebral…

In a longitudinal study of children with congenital rubella, 85 deaf adolescents, 85 deaf multihandicapped, and 34 normal controls were studied with respect to impulsivity. (Author/PHR)

The article reviews a variety of biophysical variables which contribute to autism or autistic symptoms, and discusses the nature and manifestations of these psychobiological variables in terms of the need for individual yet comprehensive educational interventions and family support services. (DLS)

This paper examines the theoretical and empirical relationship of income poverty to infant mortality differentials. Taken into consideration is the relative impact of a variety of biological, social, and economic factors upon the risk of infant death. (Author/EB)

Psychoanalytic, social learning and cognitive-developmental theories are evaluated in terms of their usefulness in explaining sex role acquisition. A model that attempts to integrate the most significant features from each theoretical position is proposed. (Author/EB)

A prospective study of growth and development during the first 2 years of life was performed on 71 preterm SGA (small-for-gestational-age) infants. Journal Availability: C.V. Mosby Company, 11830 Westline Industrial Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63141. (Author/SBH)

A review of Dr. Weston Price's work on the nutritional practices of "primitive" peoples and their subsequent levels of physical development shows that animal fats and cholesterol are not villains but vital factors in the diet, necessary for normal growth, proper functioning of the brain and nervous system, protection from disease, and…

Studied whether disturbances in mothers' metabolism (N=139) during pregnancy may exert long-range effects on neurobehavioral development of singleton progeny. Examined detailed pregnancy and perinatal records of mothers who experienced diabetes in pregnancy and intelligence tests of their offspring, administered at ages 7 to 11 years. All…

This article summarizes the early development of the visual system within the context of the other sensory systems and preterm birth and relates this information to early intervention. Retinopathy of prematurely, ocular defects, cortical visual impairment and potential impact of the neonatal intensive care unit environment are discussed. (Contains…

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…

Thirty-four children (ages 5-16) born to alcoholic mothers were assessed on measures of intelligence, reading, receptive vocabulary, memory for sentences, visual memory, and visual-motor integration. The children were found to be least deficient on intellectual measures and most deficient on memory for sentences and silent and oral readings.…

Discusses Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), accepted as leading known cause of mental retardation. Relates chronicity, timing, and severity of alcohol exposure to age-specific developmental and behavioral consequences. Delineates specific interventions with infants, preschoolers, school-age children, and adolescents. Advocates for accurate diagnosis…