Statistics show that the improvement in the U.S. infant mortality rate began slowing down in 1981 and completely ended in 1985; this has been reflected in a significant increase in the percentage of infants born prematurely and with low birth weight. Increased attention is being given to the effects of maternal behavior during pregnancy, and…

This module is part of a training program for foster parents and foster care workers offered at Colorado State University. The module examines the effects of maternal alcohol and crack use during the prenatal period on infants, and the transmission of AIDS to infants. The module's learning objectives address: (1) foster care concerns for medically…

This literature review defines Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) and Fetal Alcohol Effects (FAE) and considers their causes, diagnoses, prevalence, and educational ramifications. Effects of alcohol during each of the trimesters of pregnancy are summarized. Specific diagnostic characteristics of FAS are listed: (1) growth deficiency, (2) a…

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 describes a service model developed for the Division of Children and Family Services in Wenatchee, Washington that attempts to address the needs of families impacted by substance abuse. The service area is rural and has an overwhelming drug problem. Caseload trends provide evidence for a large number of drug-related referrals and an…

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…

The infant mortality rate in the District of Columbia is higher than that for any other state. This high rate stems from the great number of infants born seriously underweight and reflects the area's high percentage of births to impoverished black women. Efforts to reduce the mortality rate have centered around the medical treatment approach,…

This non-technical book for parents discusses aspects of child care and family relations from the time of the baby's conception through the first year of its life, emphasizing ways of developing effective parent-child interaction. Topics covered include: preparing emotionally and physically for a baby; ways to "get to know" the baby during the…

The decade of the 70's has seen significant improvements in child health and dramatic insights into the biological, psychological, and social factors influencing children's growth and development. Four of the six major gains in health status listed in the Surgeon General's Report on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention relate to improvements in…

These papers make suggestions for further exploration into the problems of sex and gender research. Edmund Gordon presents a historical perspective on the sociopolitical implications of sex and gender and discusses attitudinal variables which affect the classification of women. Ann Lieberman describes the history of women in the work force, their…

This illustrated booklet on prenatal care and birth is part of a related curriculum on parenting and child development designed for school-age mothers. Conception, embryonic and fetal development, the birth process, nutrition during pregnancy, and emotional and physical characteristics of pregnant women are explained. Short quizzes and answers are…

This volume includes eight essays. In his "Foreword," Carl Senna examines the revival of the hereditarian position by Arthur Jensen. "Race and Intelligence" contains a critique of Richard C. Lewontin of Jensen's argument, revealing what appear to be deeply embedded assumptions derived from a particular world view. David Z. Robinson, in "If You're…

This study followed a small group of children exposed to pre- and perinatal health threats to determine whether any psychological effects of the health threat could be identified and if so, whether there is potential in pediatric care to prevent such consequences. The 67 infants were all members of low income families. The tests used included the…

This paper discusses the processes that are at work which produce some of the differences between male and female human beings. The sex of the child is an important attribute of the organism's identity. Before birth, parents express preferences for the sex of the unborn child and start providing names as a function of the sex of the child. Studies…

The contents of this book, which presents the fruits of one of a series of conferences organized by the National Research Council Committee on Basic Research in Education, includes 12 papers, with discussion and comments: "Introductory Remarks," Ernst W. Caspari; "Quantitative Aspects of Genetics and Environment in the Determination of Behavior,"…