Exceptional Children

The 1972 Amendments to the Economic Opportunity Act mandated that not less than 10% of the Head Start enrollment nationwide be made available to handicapped children. This article reports research evaluating the effect of the mandate during the first year of its implementation. The findings indicate reasonable progress in meeting the needs of the handicapped; however, labeling appears to have increased and serious problems remain in accommodating youngsters with severe disabilities. Recommendations for the enhancement of Head Start efforts on behalf of the handicapped are including a suggestion for reducing society's inclination to segregate or exclude children with major differences in development.

Although researchers would like to see more longitudinal studies, increasing evidence supports the finding of the negative effects of malnutrition on physical growth and mental development, particularly at the critical prenatal and postnatal growth stages. Nutrition is affected by a broad spectrum of influencing factors—social, cultural and economic. Their cumulative ill effects have to be considered when seeking solutions for the betterment of the quality of human life.