During the course of the year, the Section has held two major meetings. The first, held in March at the Royal College of Physicians, was devoted to the considerations of Longitudinal Studies, a topic particularly relevant to those working with developing individuals. The second meeting, a residential one spread over three days, was held in Southampton, and the 1982 meeting will be in Edinburgh. Since 1981 was the year dedicated to disabled people, there was a special emphasis on children handicapped by mental retardation or by physical disorders.