Identifying potential developmental and behavioral problems during the first 3 years of life is an important factor in promoting a child's healthy development. The early identification of a potential developmental or behavioral problem leads to further evaluation and possible diagnosis or treatment if needed. Pediatric health care professionals…

The author looks at the sharp increase in a number of childhood disorders--including asthma, certain cancers, and learning/behavioral disabilities--and the role environmental toxins may play in this increase. He describes the need to train many more health professionals in prenatal and children's environmental health and the national network of…

Infants who are born prematurely may experience developmental delays and impairments during infancy and beyond. Those who are born at extremely low birthweight face the greatest challenges. Many families could benefit from early intervention services through their local Part C of Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs, but…

Parenting education programs have traditionally consisted of teaching skills and providing information about child development, but have not focused on parents' own development as individuals and as parents. The Reflective Dialogue Parent Education Design (RDPED) described in this article helps parents increase their self-awareness and their…

Community-based parenting education programs have a unique role to play in the promotion of infant mental health. In contrast to classes that seek to accelerate child development, the author describes enrichment programs that promote parent-child bonding and healthy social and emotional development. The ParentSource program was developed on the…

This issue presents five articles on the theme of professional development of personnel serving infants and toddlers. The papers describe: experiences in the Training of Trainers Intensive Seminar and the City Training of Teams initiatives, an Illinois developmental training and support program, a Canadian 12-month training program, the use of…

Early literacy experiences play an important role in later literacy skills and school achievement. Communities offer early literacy experiences in a variety of venues to meet the diverse needs of families. The author of this article provides four vignettes illustrating community-based early literacy activities: (1) private group classes such as…

The six articles in this newsletter theme issue focus on three successful infant/family organizations serving families with young children either at risk for a disability or having a disability: Southwest Human Development (Phoenix, Arizona); The Ounce of Prevention Fund (Chicago, Illinois); and New Horizons Center for Children and Families of…