This special issue of the "CEDS/Newsletter" is devoted to the theme of "preschool, early childhood, and infant assessment." It emphasizes the need for early assessment and intervention with young handicapped children. An article by Linda Pearl, "Issues in Infant Assessment," covers the purpose of infant assessment, the stability and continuity of development during infancy, the impact of fragile medical conditions on development, the limited responses which infants can use, and the effect of state change and exhaustion on assessment. Booney Vance's article on "Assessment of Preschoolers" describes the Individualized Family Service Plan and issues and roles for educational diagnosticians. "Some Cautions Regarding the Use of the Term Developmentally Delayed When Labeling Young Children," by Koress Kutsick, addresses concerns about utilizing specific handicapping labels for young children and the impact on parents of labeling. "Implications of P.L. 99-457 for the Educational Diagnostician: Some Issues and Concerns," by Ronald Taylor and Stephen Richards, outlines the difficulties in early identification of mild handicaps in preschool children, and lists a sampling of assessment instruments used with young children. (JDD)