This investigation focused on the quality of parent-provider relationships in a Part C early intervention program. An observational coding system was developed as an exploratory tool to describe aspects of the parent-provider relationship over a 1-year period. In particular, we were interested in the extent to which the quality of the…

A retrospective cohort study was conducted to identify child, maternal, family, and community factors associated with rate of developmental disability among children enrolled in the California Early Start Program. The cohort included 8,987 children considered at high risk for developmental disability due to medical risks and/or developmental…

This article aims to analyze early intervention programs in Israel according to the Developmental Systems Model (Guralnick, 2001), in an attempt to identify strengths and areas for further development for service delivery for young children with disabilities in Israel. Early intervention in Israel is part of a comprehensive healthcare model…

Prenatal alcohol exposure can result in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), which can include physical and neurobehavioral disorders, including cognitive, social, language, and motor impairments that can persist throughout life. In order for children with FASD to receive the full benefit of services, recognition of their disability needs to…

Behavioral insomnias of childhood (BIC) and sleep disordered breathing (SDB) disorders cause disrupted and/or inefficient sleep. Left untreated in early childhood, both conditions increase the risk of compromised development, particularly in the areas of behavior, cognition, and growth. This systematic review determined whether and how current…

Principal tasks of the early childhood years, including attaining self-efficacy, self-control, social integration, and preparedness for education, require the development of adaptive and competent emotional development. Results from longitudinal and intergenerational studies examining the effect of parenting behaviors on children's emotional…

This article describes an approach to evaluating and managing feeding disorders in children with developmental disabilities and examines effects of these management strategies on growth and clinical outcomes. A structured approach is stressed and a diagnostic and treatment algorithm is presented. Use with 79 children found that diagnostic-specific…

This article draws on empirical data and anecdotal examples to support teaching parents of young children with developmental disabilities naturalistic language intervention strategies. It also identifies the skills that parent educators need to be effective and discusses a model for preparing professionals to teach parents. (Contains references.)…

This article first reviews the literature regarding temperament and outcomes for children with developmental disabilities and explores methods for integrating temperament information into early intervention practice. It proposes that children with developmental disabilities who present extreme scores in specific domains of temperament may benefit…

This study examined the prevalence of otitis media with effusion (OME) in 14 children (ages 8-66 months) with developmental disabilities attending center-based childcare. Although younger children had more OME than older children, children with Down syndrome had the highest incidence of OME regardless of age. Implications of OME for fluctuating…

The recognition of the importance of brain development in the early years of life has led to expanded early intervention programs for very young children with or at risk for developmental disabilities. A biological basis for early intervention is explored, and brain plasticity is discussed. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

Sleep problems may occur in up to 88% of children with visual impairments who have developmental disabilities. The use of oral melatonin has recently been used for the management of sleep difficulties in children with and without disabilities. Sustained-release melatonin may reduce nighttime awakenings and increase total sleep time. (Contains…

This article outlines key components of a medical evaluation of a child who is not talking. Factors to consider during diagnosis and screening are discussed, including the presence of mental retardation, hearing impairments, autism, cerebral palsy, and other disorders. The physiology of speech/language disorders in children is also examined.…

There is an increased incidence of language-learning disabilities with dyslexia by school age. As infants and toddlers, these children have neuromotor and speech dysfunction within their first year. This article postulates that the language and motor dysfunction is caused by infantile presentation of developmental dyspraxia rather than a…

This review of the effects of contingency experience on development and data from a model intervention program provides evidence demonstrating how basic technology can be used to teach young children with developmental disabilities that the environment is responsive and controllable and to promote positive attentional, emotional, and motivational…