This paper reviews the American Association on Mental Retardation's (AAMR's) presentation of issues surrounding the field of early intervention. AAMR's publications are the primary sources of information in the paper. Specific sections address: (1) the impact of public laws on the rights of children and families to a free and appropriate public education; (2) medical aspects of early intervention, including classification, definition, identification of children who are at risk for developmental delays, and genetic screening; (3) ethical concerns, including infanticide, right to life issues, and abortion; (4) prevention, at-risk children, adolescent mothers, and prevention programs; (5) developmental testing, IQ tests, and Down Syndrome studies; (6) international contributions; (7) early intervention programs and services; (8) family focused policies, barriers to services, and the costs of early intervention; (9) the education of professionals, physicians, and teacher certification programs; and (10) challenges facing the early intervention field. The need to document valuable intervention for young children and their families and innovative research initiatives and intervention programs that fulfill AAMR's mission to people with developmental disabilities is emphasized. (Contains 112 references.) (CR)