Babies and Infants

This is a partial list of materials on this topic available from DB-LINK. In most instances, DB-LINK is able to provide a copy of the complete article. For this and other questions or information that you may need, please contact DB-LINK, (800) 438-9376 or (800) 854-7013 (TTY) or email: info@nationaldb.org

Updated 3/2009

2005-0405

Babies Can't Wait To Communicate : The importance of communication in the early years and getting started early --Last, Rob. Miami Beach, FL: 7th International CHARGE Syndrome Conference, July 22nd - July 24th, 2005, Miami Beach, Florida. (2005) Although children with CHARGE Syndrome face numerous serious medical interventions, babies still need interactions with their parents. Early communication is defined as that behavior like crying or smiling that parents immediately understand and respond to. Discusses the range of communication options, and the need to try everything.

Eating Skills Family Connect. The article describes how parents should teach their infants about food, starting solid food and helping their toddlers learn table manners Available on the web: http://www.familyconnect.org/parentsite.asp?SectionID=75&TopicID=350&DocumentID=3895

2007-0391

Effects of Caregiver Behavior on Habituation Rate and Self-Efficacy in Infants --Riksen-Walraven, J. Marianne. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BEHAVIORAL DEVELOPMENT, Vol. 1, No. 2, 105-130 (1978) (1978) A model for cognitive development and the development of self-efficacy in infancy was proposed. On the basis of learning-theoretical principles it was hypothesized that (a) an infant's rate of habituation to visual stimuli is a function of the amount of stimulation provided by its primary caregiver, and (b) the strength of an infant's exploratory behavior and its ability to analyse contingencies between its acts and their effects is a function of the responsiveness of the caregiver towards the infant. The subjects were 100 nine-month-old infants from working-class families with their primary caregivers. The effects of two different intervention programs were examined, one program aiming at heightening the caregiver's responsiveness towards the infant, the second at enhancing the amount of stimulation provided to the infant. The programs were carried out by the caregivers for a period of three months. The proposed model was confirmed by the findings. Available on the web: http://jbd.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/1/2/105

2008-0087

Expanding Learning Opportunities for Infants and Toddlers in Natural Environments: A Chance To Reconceptualize Early Intervention --Bruder, Mary Beth, Ph.D.; Dunst, Carl J., Ph.D. ZERO TO THREE, 20 (3), pp. 34-36. (2000) This essay reviews findings and suggests ways in which early intervention and early childhood practitioners can use natural learning environments as sources of children's learning opportunities.

2007-0119

Facilitating Infant/Toddler Skills in Family-Child Routines --Stremel, Kathleen; Mathews, Pinkie; Wilson, Rebecca; Molden, Vanessa; Yates, Cynthia; Busbea, Betty; Holston, Jan. Paper presented at the Council for Exceptional Children/Division of Early Childhood International Conference on Children with Special Needs (Washington, DC, December2-6, 1992). (1993) This paper on facilitating skill development of infants and toddlers with disabilities within family-child routines focuses on: (1) developing a routine analysis by incorporating multiple Individual Family Service Plan (IFSP) objectives into family-selected routines; (2) utilizing systematic family training procedures to integrate targeted skills into routines; and (3) determining generalization of parent skills. The routine analysis requires conducting multidisciplinary and multipurpose assessments of the child, determining high-preference and low-preference routines and social interactions within the family, determining which specific IFSP objectives can best be incorporated into the targeted routine, determining the level of caregiver skills, and developing a routine sequence. Family training procedures then call for an intervention team member to conduct the routine with the child and another team member to videotape the routine, and having the family caregivers observe the routine and later review the videotape, conduct the intervention at the next visit, and receive feedback. Generalization of parent skills is exhibited when the parent incorporates objectives from old routines into a new routine.

2002-0022

Feeding Relationship --Klein, Marsha Dunn, OTR/L. 2001 Symposium on Deafblindness: Communities & Connections. (2001) This is the overheads used at the presentation on feeding at the 2001 Symposium on Deafblindness. Describes the stages in the feeding relationship, parent and baby roles during infancy, 6-12 months and after the first year. Challenges in the feeding relationship for the deaf and blind child is described at the end of the presentation.

2004-0397

From the Beginning : Early Relationships in the New Millennium --Nelson, Catherine. PLENARY, vol. 21, #7, 1999, pp. 1-3. Proceedings of the 12th Deafblind International World Conference, July 20-25, 1999, Lisbon, Portugal. (1999) This speech discusses early relationships, particularly relationships with deafblind infants born prematurely. It includes examples of the problems that can be faced and a description of developmentally supportive care. A discussion of the parental role in developmentally supportive care is also included as well as a summary advocating early care.

2007-0297

Hold Everything! : Twenty "Stay Put" Play Spaces For Infants, Preschoolers and Developmentally Young Children With Sensory Impairments and Other Special Needs --Clarke, Kay L. Columbus: Ohio Center for Deafblind Education. (2004) This booklet is based on a workshop sponsored by the Ohio Center for Deafblind Education in 2004. It provides parents and early childhood educators with twenty illustrated ideas for developing "stay-put" play spaces for infants and young children with sensory impairments and other special needs. These play spaces are intended to encourage self-initiated exploration, play, and learning. Traits of these spaces include the following: (1) they are made of high interest, multi-sensory materials; (2) the parts that are anchored in some way so young children can keep track of them and adults are not needed for retrieval; (3) they can be easily adapted to meet an individual child's needs and abilities; they may be used individually or with others; and they are inexpensive and easy to make. Available from OCDBE. Phone 614-785-1163. TTY: 614-785-1158. E-mail: ocdbe@ssco.org. Publisher's web site: www.ssco.org/ocdbe

2008-0484

Infantile Reflexive Behaviors and Nonverbal Communication --Givens, David. SIGN LANGUAGE STUDIES, vol. 16, pp. 219-236. (1977) This paper discusses some expressive units of behavior which appear to have a widespread geographical distribution (in both morphology and significance); have a precocious ontogeny in infancy and childhood; and are used in appropriate social psychological settings even by congenitally blind, deaf-blind, and multiply handicapped youngsters.

2003-0114

Intervention Strategies for Promoting Feeding Skills in Infants With Sensory Deficits --Case-Smith, Jane, Ed.D., OTR. OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY IN HEALTH CARE, vol. 6, #2-3, 1989, pp. 129-141. (1989) This paper provides information on feeding infants with sensory deficits. Specific oral motor and feeding problems in hyposensitive/hypotonic children and hypersensitive/hypertonic children are described. Occupational therapy intervention that emphasizes sensory stimulation related to the environment, handling before and after feeding, and the sensory qualities of food is explained.

2006-0291

Issues in the Management of Infants and Young Children Who Are Deaf-Blind --Holte, Lenore; Prickett, Jeanne Glidden; Van Dyke, Don C.; Olson, Richard J.; Lubrica, Pena; Knutson, Claudia L.; Knutson, John F.; Brennan, Susan; Berg, Wendy. INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN, vol. 19, #4, pp. 323-337. (2006) Young children with major auditory and visual impairments are identified as "deaf-blind." They have unique communication, developmental, emotional, and educational needs that require special knowledge, expertise, technology, and assistance. Having a child with this dual sensory impairment can create emotional and financial stress on a family. Programs that provide consultative training and technical assistance for families, education, and service providers are key in meeting the needs of such children and their families. Behavior concerns, circadian rhythm disturbances, amplification, and special education needs all require expert and prompt attention. New research is adding to our knowledge of cochlear implants, cortical stimulators, and augmentative communication, which have the potential to improve the quality of life for the child who is deaf-blind. This article is intended to introduce professionals from a variety of disciplines to current practices and important considerations in intervention with infants and young children who are deaf-blind. It also includes discussion of the crucial role of family support in optimizing outcomes for these children. A companion article on evaluation of infants and young children who are suspected of or who are determined to be deaf-blind previously appeared in Infants & Young Children, vol. 19, #3. (Author Abstract)

2006-0192

Multimodal/Multilanguage Communication Issues for Justin : Communication Among Baby, Family, and English-Second-Language Caregivers --Barber, Gabrielle, M.D.; Clyne, Michelle, M.S. Ed. Brantford, Ontario: Canadian Deafblind and Rubella Association. 13th DbI World Conference on Deafblindness Conference Proceedings, August 5-10, 2003, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. (2003) This is the text of a workshop presentation given at the 13th DbI World Conference on Deaf-Blindness. The paper is in outline form and considers determining communication priorities and methods and choosing communication options. It outlines how to teach others how to communicate with Justin. There is a bibliography on the topic of beginning communication.

2008-0401

Multi-Sensory Impaired Infant - the Right Support from the Start --Boothroyd, Eileen. 14th DbI World Conference on Deafblindness Conference Proceedings, September 25-30, 2007, Perth, Australia. (2007) This is text of a workshop presentation given at the 14th DbI World Conference on Deaf-Blindness. This presentation describes the Early Support program in England. It is designed to help families access better coordinated services for their children.

2006-0072

Newborn Hearing Screening and Follow Up --Lang, Janna Smith. San Francisco, CA: Department of Special Education, San Francisco State University. (2003) In this workshop Janice Smith Lang, Director, Newborn Hearing Screening Program, Santa Clara Valley Medical Center addresses the following topics: overview of hearing loss; auditory neuropathy; definition of screening; support and need for newborn hearing screening; U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Report on Newborn Hearing Screening (NHS); California's NHS program; "growing pains" for California's NHS program; structure and data from an operational NHS program; infant/young child diagnostic audiological protocol; Early Start; and Options: Language Learning Modes and Considerations Regarding Language Learning Options. This presentation was one of a series of workshops produced by a Matchmaker Grant to the California Deaf-Blind Services Project. The focus of the grant was on the use of assistive technology with children who are deaf-blind. The workshop was taped during the summer of 2003.

2007-0089

The NICU Experience: Its Impact and Implications --Purvis, Barbara, M.Ed. Austin, TX: Texas Deafblind Project. 2007 Texas Symposium on Deafblindness. (2007) This presentation increases awareness about the NICU experience, including: developmental and sensory implications; impact on family members of preterm and medically fragile infants; research-based practices for improving developmental outcomes for these infants; and implications for providing early intervention services.

2007-0253

Observational Assessment of Sensory Preferences of Infants and Toddlers with Visual Impairments --Anthony, Tanni L. (2003) This form can be used to observe the sensory avenues (visual, tactile, auditory, movement, smell) used by infants and toddlers as they relate to specific behaviors during daily routines. An electronic version is available.

2000-0267

Parent-Infant Communication: Early Intervention for Very Young Children with Visual Impairment or Hearing Loss --Chen, Deborah, Ph.D. INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN, vol. 9, #2, October 1996, pp1-12. (1996) This article describes the interactions of parents and their infants with visual impairments, infants who are deaf or hearing impaired and sighted and hearing infants during play situations. Finding indicate that parents develop types of routines that match the developmental and sensory status of their infants. The author suggested interventions for engaging with the infant in early play interactions and adaptation in care giver speech and pragmatic as well as contextual levels.

2006-0189

Please Be Positive About Me - You'll Be Amazed At What I Can Do! --Foster, Mary. Brantford, Ontario: Canadian Deafblind and Rubella Association. 13th DbI World Conference on Deafblindness Conference Proceedings, August 5-10, 2003, Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. (2003) This is the text of a workshop presentation given at the 13th DbI World Conference on Deaf-Blindness. The paper describes working with parents and professionals to provide positive early intervention for infants who are deafblind.

2007-0185

Promoting Interactions With Infants Who Have Complex Multiple Disabilities : Development and Field-Testing of the PLAI Curriculum --Chen, Deborah, PhD; Klein, Diane M., CCC-SLP, PhD; Haney, Michele, PhD. INFANTS AND YOUNG CHILDREN, vol. 20, #2, April-June 2007, pp149-162. (2007) This article describes primary outcomes of the development and field-testing of the curriculum "Promoting Learning Through Active Interaction" with 27 infants and their caregivers and early interventionists in 2 different states. The curriculum was designed to provide a systematic approach to supporting interactions with infants who have sensory impairments and complex multiple disabilities and who are at the preintentional level of communication. Participating infants had both a visual impairment and hearing loss and additional disabilities. Their families represented diverse socioeconomic, educational, and cultural backgrounds, and participating early interventionists varied widely in their qualifications. Results indicate that a diverse group of families used the strategies successfully and found them to be helpful in supporting their children's interactions and communication development. The article outlines key components of the curriculum and discusses evaluation data on the basis of caregiver feedback on use of strategies and analysis of videotaped observations on the caregivers' use of sensory cues with their infants.

2000-0469

Promoting Learning Through Active Interaction : A Guide to Early Communication with Young Children Who Have Multiple Disabilities --Klein, M. Diane, Ph.D.; Chen, Deborah, Ph.D.; Haney, Michele, Ph.D. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. (2000) The Promoting Learning Through Active Interaction (PLAI) curriculum is designed primarily for infants, preschoolers, and young children with severe or multiple disabilities (including deaf-blindness) who are not yet initiating symbolic communication and who have a limited repertoire of communicative behavior. It can also be used with older children who have not yet developed intentional communication. The curriculum consists of a Caregiver Interview to identify a child's current communication abilities and 5 modules: 1) Understanding Your Child's Cues; 2) Identifying Your Child's Preferences; 3) Establishing Predictable Routines; 4) Establishing Turn Taking; and 5) Encouraging Communicative Initiations. The curriculum also contains handouts and recording sheets in both English and Spanish. A video (Promoting Learning Through Active Interaction: An Instructional Video) is also available in English and Spanish. Publisher's web site: http://www.brookespublishing.com/

2007-0467

Rhythms and Rhymes: Developing Communication in Very Young Blind and Multihandicapped Children --Rogow, Sally M. CHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, 1982, 8, pp.249-260. (1982) Communicative behaviours develop in early infancy. Blind and multihandicapped infants are at risk in developing social signal behaviours that serve the purpose of signalling the attention of adults and engaging adults in shared interactions and social routines. Primary intersubjectivity or adult—infant interaction has been shown to provide the matrix in which communicative behaviours are acquired. The social routine is one form of adult—infant interaction in which mutuality and shared attention to the same event is developed. The results of this study indicate that very young blind and multihandicapped children can develop intentional and communicative behaviours in the course of social routines based on traditional nursery rhymes. Of particular interest were the youngest subjects who were 15 months—2 years and 3 months at the start of the study. These subjects demonstrated a variety of social responses to interaction with adults. Their responsiveness was expressed in the modalities that were most accessible to them. The physically handicapped children used vocalization as a primary mode of communication, while the physically active depended on physical gestures and postures.

2008-0023

Sensory Integration and Self-Regulation in Infants and Toddlers : Helping Very Young Children Interact With Their Environment --Williamson, G. Gordon; Anzalone, Marie E. Washington, DC: Zero to Three. (2001) This book is written for a multidisciplinary audience of practitioners who support the development of infants and young children in a variety of settings. Knowledge is synthesized to help readers understand the sensory development of infants and young children, learn about assessment and intervention approaches to promote self-regulation and adaptive behavior, and become aware of emerging research issues in this field. Includes chapters on sensory systems (tactile, vestibular, proprioceptive), sensory-based behavior in infants and young children, sensory integration (includes a chapter on praxis and dyspraxia), screening and assessment, play in the context of sensory-based intervention, and strategies to enhance self-initiation and adaptive behavior. Publisher's web site: www.zerotothree.org

2004-0567

Signal of Premature Infants --Als, Heidilese. Workshop Handouts, 1997, 2 pp. (1997) This document contains a comprehensive list of self regulatory behaviors and stress reactions of premature infants.

1996-0331

What Can Baby Hear? : Auditory Tests and Interventions for Infants with Multiple Disabilities --Chen, Deborah; Johnson, Richard L. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Publishing Co. (1995) This video is divided into four segments: typical responses of normally hearing children; parent interviewing; audiological testing; and early intervention activities. It demonstrates various testing procedures and explains what each test measures and how it works. The difference between sensory-neural hearing loss and conductive hearing loss is explained and demonstrated through animation. The video and an accompanying pamphlet may be ordered from Paul H. Brookes Publishing, P.O. Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285, 1-800-638-3775. Publisher's web site: http://www.pbrookes.com.

1996-0789

What Can Baby See? : Vision Tests and Interventions for Infants with Multiple Disabilities --Chen, Deborah. New York: AFB Press. (1996) This video identifies the importance of early identification of visual impairment in infants with severe and multiple disabilities. A pediatric optometrist demonstrates five common vision tests (checking ocular health, Cover-Uncover Test; Pupillary Response, Retinoscopy, Preferential Looking/Teller Cards, and the Visual Evoked Potential). It shows an early interventionist obtaining functional vision information with two infants who have both visual impairment and hearing loss through structured observation in the home and parent interview. Parents share their feelings about their infants' disabilities. Examples of selected interventions used in an infant program are provided. Includes a booklet. Available from: AFB Press, Customer Service, P.O. Box 1020, Sewickley, PA 15143. Phone: 800-232-3044. Fax: 412-741-0609. Publisher's web site: http://www.afb.org/