Discusses appropriate care for children affected prenatally or after birth by parental chemical dependence. There is increasing evidence that environmental intervention by professionals and other caring adults can alleviate these children's distress. Maximizing their development also depends on implementation of child welfare protections and the…

This article provides an assessment tool and guidelines for creating instructional programing in aquatic skills development for children with disabilities functioning below levels required for most adapted beginning aquatics programs. It covers individualized goals and objectives, adjustment to the water, and specific aquatic skills. (DB)

Performance data on three children with moderate to severe developmental disabilities, observed in both inclusive integrated and self-contained segregated kindergarten settings, support the conclusion that individual child and setting characteristics transcend administrative model in determining engagement levels across social and academic…

Mothers of children with developmental disabilities were reevaluated two years after participating in a life skills training program utilizing a cognitive behavior approach to reduce stress and depression and improve communication and problem-solving skills. Participants (n=153) reported lower stress, lower depression levels, and improved coping…

Reports a study that assessed the amount of environmental information acquired by nondisabled children while participating in a one-day integrated outdoor education experience with severely developmentally delayed children. Pre-, post-, and retesting indicated all nondisabled students in integrated classes showed statistically significant gains in…

This case study explored the efficacy of a prelinguistic intervention focused on ongoing daily activities in a preschool classroom for a 3-year-old boy with severe communication and cognitive delays. Strategies used included environmental arrangement, following the child's lead, imitation, modeling, and prompting. Results indicated the child…

This study evaluated the impact of intensive behavioral treatment by parents in the home setting on the development of 11 young autistic children. Compared to a control group, the children had significantly higher posttreatment IQ scores. Smaller, but statistically significant effects on symptom severity were also found, although experimental…

This article reviews the most frequent causes of seizure disorders in young children and the classification of different seizure types. It discusses current therapies, including alternatives to medication. Emergency response to seizures is covered a well as non-epileptic episodes that may resemble seizures. Epilepsy's potential impact on the…

The recent reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA; 2004) is first discussed in its historical context. Then, a programmatic line of research (funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development since 1989) is described that is relevant to a proposed model for universal…

Inflammation during the perinatal period has become a recognized risk factor for developmental brain injuries over the past decade or more. To fully understand the relationship between inflammation and brain development, a comprehensive knowledge about the immune system within the brain is essential. Microglia are resident immune cells within the…

Autism is a life-long, complex developmental disorder that causes impairment in the way individuals process information. Autism belongs to heterogeneous categories of developmental disabilities where neurological disorders lead to deficits in a child's ability to communicate, understand language, play, develop social skills, and relate to others.…

Priorities in the delivery of health care to Australian country people with developmental disability were explored through focus groups and interviews of key stakeholder groups from four rural/regional towns. Data were analysed for themes, which converged on lack of access to primary health care providers who lacked knowledge about and had poor…

Very few existing empirical studies have explored the putative association between exposure to negative life events and psychological well-being in adults with developmental disabilities. In the present study, data on exposure to life events in the previous 12 months, adaptive behavior, problem behavior, and psychiatric problems were provided by…

Inclusion has increased the participation rates of individuals with disabilities in school, employment and recreation activities. Proper supports are needed in these environments to encourage adequate self-esteem and successful social interactions. Without positive social interactions, individuals may experience loneliness and isolation that could…

Issues related to stigma and its impact on assistive technology (AT) use with persons having developmental disabilities are addressed. While stigma has been known to be associated with presence of disability for many years, relationship between stigma and AT usage, particularly when working with families across cultures, has only just begun to be…