"Analyzing Predictors of Daily Social Skill Performance."

Summary:

This article is a study to examine how play activities, intervention, and teacher’s prediction of children’s sociability have impact on children with autism. In this study three preschoolers with autism participate in daily activities with their peers. The children learn to share toys, play, organize, and interact with each other. Children were to maintain the newly taught exchanges. The result shows that the social reciprocity and peer interaction have huge impact on autistic children’s level of social interaction.

Personal Response:

This research shows how children with autism can be able to live their daily life. But it also depends on how the “normal” children interact with autistic children. Not all children interact the same way, which could have some impact on autistic children. Same can be said for teacher and parents.

"Early Births Take a Toll, Group Says."

Summary:

In New York Times’ “Early Births Take Toll, Group Says,” the author describes the recent research on rising of premature birth all around the world. Nearly one in 10 babies is born premature. One of the main concerns is in poor countries like in Africa and Asia. Where there is no proper neonatal intensive care for premature babies. The rate of premature babies in United States has also increased. Those babies are what we call “miracle babies,” because of proper intensive care for premature babies. If premature babies do not receive proper intensive care then there are chance of having lifelong health problem like jaundice, learning and behavioral problem, and also breathing problems.

Personal Response:

Since this is epidemic scientists should take this more seriously. While taking the toll there might be many cases in poor countries they have not heard about. There should be research on the cause of the premature birth. And also about some type of treatment they can give to women who go under early labor. And there might be some disease that might be linked to premature birth like autism, a disease which is increasing in US and there is no known cause of it.



http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/05/health/research/05babies.html?ref=research.