A group of eight infants with a disorder termed the IDD syndrome and another group of eight matched healthy infants taken into study at the same time have been followed-up for 6.75 years. The follow-up technique and some findings are described. Three IDD syndrome children are still severely disturbed. Three others show recovery from severe developmental disturbance. But one child who was grossly abused after being taken into the study has been well since the third follow-up. The comparison children have not experienced comparable problems.
A qualified affirmative to the question of predictive power is given and discussed.
References
1.
EngelG. L.SchmaleA. H. (1972). Conservation-withdrawal: a primary regulatory process for organismic homeostasis, in Physiology, Emotion and Psychosomatic Illness, Ciba Foundation Symposium 8 (new series). ASP (Elsevier-Excerpta Medica. North-Holland), Amsterdam.
2.
GrahamP.RutterM.GeorgeSandra (1973). Temperamental characteristics as predictors of behaviour disorders in children. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 43: 328.
3.
IronsideW. (1972). The infant developmental distress syndrome and subsequent health. 38th Beattie Smith Lecture on Insanity. University of Melbourne.
4.
IronsideW.LewisP. J. E.HalsallRuth (1969). Anxiety in mother-infant reactions: a follow-up of eight disturbed babies and their matched controls with reference to the incidence of infant behaviour disorders. The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 3: 227.
5.
LewisP. J. E.IronsideW.McKinnonP.SimonsC. W. R. (1974). The Karitane project: psychological ill-health, infant distress and the postpartum period. New Zealand Medical Journal, 79: 1005.
6.
PrechtlH.BeintemaD. (1964). The Neurological Examination of the Full-term Newborn Infant.William Heinemann Medical Books Ltd., London.
