For parents of infants and toddlers receiving a diagnosis of disability, a variety of responses may result. Yet, little is known about the specific ways families cope with the initial diagnosis. This qualitative study investigated 6 mothers' memories of their children's diagnoses. Mothers described their use of both palliative strategies (denying, questioning, and wishful thinking) and problem-solving strategies (searching for information, seeking social support, reframing, and seeking spiritual support) to cope with their children's initial diagnoses. The results of this study may improve professionals' understanding of parents' need for information and support at the time of initial diagnosis.

The first few years of life represent a crucial period for optimal brain development for young children. Therefore, it is important to identify children at-risk for developmental delays, including autism spectrum disorders, at the earliest age possible. An argument for utilizing community childcare providers for universal developmental screening is presented along with suggestions for assessment tool selection and a model for developmental monitoring in community childcare settings.

Harry's mother, Lanie, looked around the table at all of the professionals who had come together to write Harry's Individualized Education Plan (IEP): Harry's service coordinator, the school district preschool coordinator, the early childhood preschool consultant, the child care center director, Harry's child care provider, and his physical therapist. She reflected back on the preparations that had led to this meeting: There were multiple conversations with Harry's service coordinator, a parent transition planning workshop sponsored by the school district that Lanie attended 3 months ago, and visits to several school district preschool programs to learn more about the continuum of services available for preschoolers. Lanie had initially dreaded thinking about Harry's transition at age 3; however, now that the time was closer, Lanie felt confident that both she and Harry were ready for any changes they might encounter.

Little research has been carried out on the inclusion of children with special needs in child care. The purpose of this study was to determine what variables predict the inclusion of children with disabilities in centers and home care. Logistic regression was used to examine the association of several indicators of quality child care and inclusion. For directors, teachers, and home care providers, the strongest predictor was having taken a course on working with children with disabilities. Larger centers and groups were more likely to include children with special needs. The somewhat surprising results and implications are discussed.

Despite the benefits of early intervention for children, the majority of children with developmental delays are not identified prior to the age of 5 years. Child care providers could aid in recognition of children at risk for developmental delays; however, there is little research on this topic. This article reports on a qualitative research study used to investigate child care providers' ability to accurately assess child development and make appropriate referrals to Child Find agencies. Initial data analysis suggested that child care providers were able to recognize children at risk for developmental delays with or without using a standardized screening tool. The child care participants did not, however, always indicate that they would refer those children with whom they were concerned. Qualitative interview results revealed important supports that aid in child care providers identifying children at risk for developmental delays, as well as barriers that interfere with child care providers making appropriate referrals to Child Find agencies.