Medicine: What’s the Baby’s D. Q.?

By the way a baby coos and gurgles, sucks its toes and pats its image in the glass, famed Child Specialist Arnold Gesell of Yale believes he can tell what kind of an adult it will become—whether bright or dull, sociable or seclusive, skillful or clumsy. Last week, Dr. Gesell and his assistant. Dr. Catherine Strunk Amatruda, published a system of scientific tests for measuring and predicting the evolution of personality (Developmental Diagnosis; Hoeber; $6.50). Most of the doctors’ prophecies have been subjected to proof, for their studies extend over a period of 20 years. The book tackles such problems as normal behavior, retarded mentality, convulsions, precocity, birth injury, home environments, adoption.

Rings, Bells, Blocks. Dr. Gesell discovered that all infants unfold in a strict pattern of activity. He developed a number of delicate tests which normal babies should be able to pass at a given age. If a baby deviates from the biological schedule, Dr. Gesell claims that a doctor can tell that something is wrong. The tests take only ten to 20 minutes, can be easily mastered by all doctors. They require such simple equipment as colored rings, a rattle, blocks, a pellet and bottle, a bell, a string, paper and crayon, etc. A few examples of normal behavior at key ages:

> Four weeks: The baby acts like a tiny tree ape, lashing his arms, clenching his fists. He lies mostly on his side with his head turned, one arm extended, the other flexed. He turns his head and eyes through an arc of 90° to look at rings and rattles, listen to a bell. When the doctor tries to pull him up, his head sags back.

>16 weeks: He “relishes the sitting position,” smiles at the doctor. He accepts a ring or rattle, brings it to his mouth, although he is more interested in his visitor. When held upright he holds his head up and forward, laughs aloud, can sit propped for ten to 15 minutes.

> 28 weeks: He is “socially pretty wise,” recognizing strangers and growing impatient as he sees his mother preparing food. He shakes a rattle, sucks his toes. He also plays with his image in a mirror, “talks” to his toys.

> 40 weeks: This is the age of the index finger—of poking and prying. The baby sits up by himself, plucks a string, creeps, pulls himself to his feet against the railing of his pen. He can say “mama, dada,” and one other word. At mealtime he holds his bottle.

>18 months: He walks alone, seats himself with care. When given a book, he looks at pictures, turns pages two or three at a time. He knows ten words, helps feed himself, hands his empty dish to his mother. Always “on the loose,” he runs stiffly, constantly shifts his attention.

> Two years: His personality is rough and bearish; he may run rather than walk. He can build a tower of six or seven cubes, insert a square block in a square hole. He also throws and kicks a ball, knows 50 words, puts dolls to bed, talks about his experiences, asks for food and toilet.

> Three years: This is the mellow age of infanthood. The child is “good company and likes to please.” He walks with a destination in mind, is rather sure of himself, asks questions about social requirements (“Is it right?”), feeds himself without spilling, sleeps through the night without bedwetting. He would take full responsibility for the toilet if not for the “awkward posteriority of buttons and buttocks.” He holds a crayon in his fingers, names what he draws, copies a circle, matches three color forms. He can run, ride a tricycle, put on his shoes (“not always on the correct foot”).

Rhythm of Growth. Drs. Gesell and Amatruda believe that standard Intelligence Quotient tests are rigid and artificial. Instead they have invented “Development Quotient,” obtained by dividing a child’s maturity age (determined by his reactions to tests at key ages) by his chronological age. The result is then multiplied by 100. For instance, if an eight-week-old child can pass only a four-week test, his D.Q. is 50. Normal rating: 90-100.

According to the doctors, the rate of development is likely to remain quite constant throughout childhood. A child with a D.Q. of 50 at four weeks will probably be a whole year behind at two. A level below 65 usually indicates serious trouble. D.Q. tests may ward off tragedies by spotting insidious diseases that often go unnoticed until too late.

For the parents of average children, a D.Q. rating is a key to the type of education they should receive. Those who are lagging in social tests, for example, should be sent to special kindergartens as soon as possible. Most important requirement for full flowering of personality, say the doctors, is a happy home. Life in an orphan asylum, no matter how well equipped, retards even the brightest children. For every infant needs to be the center of his own private universe.