Day care and teenage mothers: nurturing the mother-child dyad.

Children of adolescent mothers do not fare well cognitively or behaviorally over time. Both short-term and long-term studies corroborate these findings. Our preliminary data help us focus on the vulnerabilities and strengths of young mothers in their interactions with their children. We suggest, on the basis of these preliminary data, that intervention be directed toward nurturing the young mother and her infant or child in a day-care setting so that she can better learn to nurture her child. The gains to young mothers and children as well as to society will be substantial if we can decrease the very distressing morbidity observed long-term in the children of adolescent mothers.