Automated methods for processing of daylong audio recordings are efficient and may be an effective way of assessing developmental stage for typically developing children; however, their utility for children with developmental disabilities may be limited by constraints of algorithms and the scope of variables produced. Here, we present a novel…

Universal screening and progress monitoring are evidence-based practices in early intervention/early childhood special education (EI/ECSE). Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) for infants/toddlers are measures that programs can use for universal screening, progress monitoring, intervention decision-making, and accountability.…

Background: Pretend play is a form of play that involves nonliteral actions. There are limited studies reporting the developmental trends of pretend play behaviours of typically developing pre-schoolers. This knowledge would be beneficial in the early identification of deviations in pre-schoolers who have or are at risk of developing developmental…

Executive functioning abilities have been associated with important behaviors such as adaptive skills and cognitive abilities in children with and without disabilities. Executive functioning has primarily been measured as a strong predictor of later abilities in children with neurodevelopmental disabilities, such as attention-deficit/…

The DEC Recommended Practices provide guidance to families and professionals about the most effective ways to improve learning outcomes and promote development of young children, birth through age 5, who have, or are at-risk for, developmental delays or disabilities. "Assessment: Recommended Practices for Young Children and Families" is…

The national Quality Improvement Center on early Childhood (QIC-eC) funded four research and demonstration projects that tested child maltreatment prevention approaches. The projects were guided by several key perspectives: the importance of increasing protective factors in addition to decreasing risk factors in child maltreatment prevention…

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…

The Robota project constructs a series of multiple-degrees-of-freedom, doll-shaped humanoid robots, whose physical features resemble those of a human baby. The Robota robots have been applied as assistive technologies in behavioral studies with low-functioning children with autism. These studies investigate the potential of using an imitator robot…

The awareness and knowledge of developmental milestones among health practitioners need to be enhanced to better enable early identification and intervention with children who have delays in development, intellectual deficit, and developmental disabilities and are residents in low-and middle-income countries. To meet this end, a simple one-page…

As part of the Combating Autism Act of 2006, the members of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) are required to develop an annual "Summary of Advances" to describe each year's top advances in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research. These advances represent significant progress in the early diagnosis of ASD, understanding the…

When developmental concerns arise in children, a clinical assessment focuses on the child's developmental profile to achieve three goals (1) determine diagnosis, (2) develop interventions, and (3) evaluate progress. Parents often have needs during this time that are not addressed by professionals because of the exclusive focus on the child during…

A three-year study yielded data on the characteristics and progress of 44 preschool children with developmental delays of uncertain etiology. Findings support the use of traditional developmental tests for assessing developmental status. Analyses across time suggest that three assessments are needed before confident prediction is possible about…

Interactions between 25 mothers and their developmentally delayed children (ages 2-5) during 15 minutes of semi-structured free play were coded independently with a global rating scale and a behavior count coding scheme. Correlational analyses were performed around three central themes: (1) the nature of the relationship between maternal…

A review of existing emotional disorder assessment techniques confirmed that they are inappropriate for most children and adolescents with developmental disabilities and pay inadequate attention to affective symptoms in these subjects. A new instrument designed to evaluate mood and affect which has shown good interrater agreement is described.…

Professional review teams in nine Third World countries assessed a sample of children referred as probable cases (or as controls) from a door to door household survey of 1000+ children aged 3 to 9 years. Examines the criteria used by the teams in determining whether or not the children should be classified as severely mentally handicapped. (RWB)