American Academy of Pediatrics eBooks, Apr 30, 2014
Widespread efforts are being made to increase awareness and provide education to pediatricians re... more Widespread efforts are being made to increase awareness and provide education to pediatricians regarding risk factors of child abuse and neglect. The purpose of this clinical report is to ensure that children with disabilities are recognized as a population that is also at risk of maltreatment. Some conditions related to a disability can be confused with maltreatment. The need for early recognition and intervention of child abuse and neglect in this population, as well as the ways that a medical home can facilitate the prevention and early detection of child maltreatment, are the subject of this report. INTRODUCTION The maltreatment of children, including those with disabilities, is a critical public health issue. For purposes of this report, the terms “disability” and “special health care needs” include the full spectrum of physical, mental, and emotional impairment. Current data on incidence and prevalence of maltreatment in children with disabilities are limited by varying definitions of disability and lack of uniform methods of classifying maltreatment. Nonetheless, children with disabilities and special health care needs are at increased risk of child maltreatment. This report is an update to the previous policy statement, “Assessment of Maltreatment of Children With Disabilities.”1 The Children’s Bureau reported that an estimated 872 000 children were determined to be victims of abuse or neglect in 2004.2 More than 60% of child victims experienced neglect, almost 20% were physically abused, and 10% were sexually abused. Of the 36 states that reported on disabilities, child victims who were reported with a disability accounted for 7.3% of all victims. Children with the following conditions were considered as having a disability: mental retardation, emotional disturbance, visual impairment, learning disability, physical disability, behavioral problems, or another medical problem. It was believed that these conditions were underrecognized and underreported, because not every child received a clinical diagnostic assessment when child maltreatment was suspected. Child maltreatment may result in the development of disabilities, which in turn can precipitate further abuse.3 Studies have been unable to accurately document the extent or rate of abuse among children with disabilities or determine if disabilities were present before the abuse or were the direct result of maltreatment.4 It should be emphasized also that several case reports and epidemiologic data remind us that the natural history of some medical conditions can include conditions that mimic child maltreatment.5,6 www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/ peds.2007-0565 doi:10.1542/peds.2007-0565 All clinical reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time. The guidance in this report does not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.
Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, Mar 1, 1995
The PAST 10 to 15 years have seen an unprecedented expansion of technological advancements in med... more The PAST 10 to 15 years have seen an unprecedented expansion of technological advancements in medicine. Who could have predicted years ago, for example, that a technique that you learned about in your college chemistry or physics class—nuclear magnetic resonance—would be developed into an amazing way to look inside a living person? No physician would willingly choose to return to those days before these advances. This computerized technological revolution has surprisingly had only a small impact on medical education. Most of the methods of medical student and resident education remain essentially unchanged from those of decades before. This has occurred despite numerous recommendations for change, such as for more problembased learning approaches. Although many excellent examples of medical computer-assisted instruction (CAI) programs exist, their use continues to remain very limited. Research on their effectiveness is even more uncommon. In several ways, perhaps, this "dragging of feet" was good for medical
The recent article by Paradise,1 dealing with the sequelae of repeated otitis, again cautions the... more The recent article by Paradise,1 dealing with the sequelae of repeated otitis, again cautions the clinician to be wary of reports that for some people serve as justification for aggressive treatments. His review of the literature, which consists of many diverse articles, seems accurate and appears to present fairly the differing view-points as well as some of the problems with conducting research in this area. One statement in the article deserves further enhancement, and is something that has been worrisome to us since the first publications on this type of research.
Children with various types of disabilities are beginning to benefit from the extensive developme... more Children with various types of disabilities are beginning to benefit from the extensive developments in the field of electronic and microcomputer technology that have occurred in recent years. There exists now many devices that can assist children with physical or communication handicaps, learning difficulties, or sensory impairments. Reviews of the literature were made in order to present some of the devices that are currently available and to introduce the concepts that they exemplify. With all of these devices, but especially for those designed to aid physically or communicatively handicapped children, careful planning and evaluation is needed. Steps in the processes of evaluation and selection of devices are outlined and discussed. Proper training and monitoring the use of these devices are other aspects that are addressed. Several issues dealing with the funding of these devices and how these devices can be used in innovative research, are also presented.
Children and adolescents with ongoing health conditions need primary care that makes sure their p... more Children and adolescents with ongoing health conditions need primary care that makes sure their preventive, acute and specialised needs are met and treatments coordinated. This is a comprehensive reference for their health professionals.
Owing primarily to the expanding use of microcomputers, there have been increasing improvements i... more Owing primarily to the expanding use of microcomputers, there have been increasing improvements in the methods of searching the pediatric medical literature. The past decade has brought about easier access to the MEDLINE database, initially through the Grateful Med program from the National Library of Medicine and, more recently, free access through the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) using such programs as Internet Grateful Med and Pubmed.1>2 In
A recent development in computer-assisted medical instruction has been the introduction of &#... more A recent development in computer-assisted medical instruction has been the introduction of 'authoring systems'. Authoring systems are computer programs which can allow an instructor to prepare computer-based medical instructional materials without the need to know programming languages or have more than minimal familiarity with the computer hardware. This report documents the use of a commercially available authoring system that was used to prepare a tutorial for medical student instruction. This lesson presented information about paediatric developmental disabilities in both a text and question-and-answer format. Significant improvement in knowledge was demonstrated by the pre- and post-test results of the study group compared to the control group. The control group consisted of students who did not view the tutorial but had been assigned to a paediatric developmental disabilities clinic. The medical students who viewed the tutorial generally had very favourable comments about the use of such a system for the presentation of new information.
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Nov 12, 2008
SummaryThis study evaluated the efficacy of biofeedback training for fecal in continence in patie... more SummaryThis study evaluated the efficacy of biofeedback training for fecal in continence in patients with myelomeningocele. 12 patients were randomized to receive conventional treatment alone, or in conjunction with biofeedback. Anorectal manometric functions were evaluated before and after treatment, six and 12 months later. 16 control children were also studied. Three of eight patients in the biofeedback group and three of the four given conventional treatment alone reported 275 per cent improvement in frequency of soiling 12 months later. Biofeedback training did not improve anal squeeze, rectal sensation or continence of rectal infused saline. The number of patients who improved in both treatment groups was not different.RÉSUMÉRééiducation par biofeedback chez les spina bifida avec incontinence rectaleL'étude a tenté d'apprécier l'efficacité du biofeedback dans le traitement de l'incontinence rectale chez des patients porteurs d'un niyeloméningocele. 12 patients ont été distribut́és au hasard pour recevoir un traitement conventionnel seul, ou en conjonction avec un biofeedback. Les fonctions, manometriques anorectales furent appréciées avant et aprés traitement. L'incontinence fut apréciée six et 12 mois plus tard. 16 enfants contrôles furent aussi étudiés. L'incontinence s'améliora chez trois des huits sujets du groupe biofeedback et chez trois des quatres sujets du groupe conventionnel. Biofeedback n'a pas amélioré la pression annale, la sensibilite rectale ou la retention d'un lavement de solution salée. Le number de sujets ayant bénéficé du traitement dans chaque groupe n'était pas different.ZUSAMMENFASUNGBiofeedbacktraining für Patienten mit Myelomeningocele und StuhlinkontinenzIn dieser Studie wurde die Wirksamkeit eines Biofeedbacktrainings für Stuhlinkontinenz bei Patienten rnit Myelomeningocele untersucht. 12 Patienten wurden nur konventionel oder inVerbindung rnit dem Biofeedback behandelt. Die anorektalen Funktionen wurden vor und nach der Behandlung kontrolliert, und Kontinenz wurde sechs and 12 Monate später beurteilt. Außerdem wurden 16 Kontrollkinder untersucht. Drei von acht Patienten der Biofeedbackgruppe und drei vonvier Patienten rnit konventioneller Behandlung allein zeigten 12 Monate später ≥75 Prozent Besserung in der Häufigkeit des Einkotens. Das Biofeedbacktraining hat nicht den Sphinkterdruck,die rektale Empfindsamkeit oder die Kontinenz fur rektal infundierte Salzlösung verbessert. Die Anzahl der Patienten mit Besserung des Einkotens war ahnlich in den beiden Behandlungsgruppen.
The authors present three case studies of patients referred to Children's Hospital and Me... more The authors present three case studies of patients referred to Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, for evaluation of possible eating disorders. The atypical manifestations of the cases warranted further investigation, which revealed an organic basis for their weight loss. The authors summarize the typical findings of bulimia and anorexia nervosa and discuss the clues from the case studies that mandated further evaluation.
A retrospective study was done to determine whether improved weight gain follows inguinal hernia ... more A retrospective study was done to determine whether improved weight gain follows inguinal hernia repair in the premature infant and whether the presence of an inguinal hernia is associated with comparatively poorer weight gain prior to repair. Demographic and growth data from 28 premature infants who had undergone hernia repair were compared with corresponding data from 25 matched "control" premature patients. The two groups' weight for age Z scores for both time periods (i.e., before and after hernia repair) were then determined and analyzed. The differences found in Z scores between these two groups indicated that premature infants who have inguinal hernias seem to grow better after the hernia repair as compared with before the surgery. Despite issues related to group matching, the results of this study indicate that weight gain may be an additional factor to consider in determining the appropriate time to do surgical correction of a premature infant's inguinal hernia.
To the Editor.— Drs Ashwal and Schneider in their article, "Brain Death in the Newborn,"... more To the Editor.— Drs Ashwal and Schneider in their article, "Brain Death in the Newborn," 1 do a commendable job of presenting some of the data the Task Force on Brain Death in Children felt were lacking. 2 Other centers should be encouraged to perform a similar review in order to corroborate these findings. We agree that a declaration of brain death in the newborn is a relatively rare phenomenon. We also understand the pressing need for brain death to be determined accurately, ethically, and in a timely fashion.
For the past several decades, abdominal/pelvic prenatal ultrasonography (P-USG) has been the most... more For the past several decades, abdominal/pelvic prenatal ultrasonography (P-USG) has been the most significant technology used in obstetrics. There has been a tremendous increase in use throughout the world and there have been many improvements in the technology used. However, there are aspects of the technology such as frequency, exposure time, thermal and cavitation exposure indices, and increased acoustic output of the ultrasonic waves that possibly could be harmful to the embryo/fetus. In particular, prolonged exposure may increase susceptibility to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Along with the increasing use of P-USG, there has been a similar increase in the incidence of ASD. The diagnosis of ASD has been found to be more common in geographic areas with a more affluent ethnicity, high socioeconomic status, and high parental education. These are also areas where prenatal ultrasonography is readily available and affordable. Given that there are biophysical risks from P-USG, especially in non-medical settings, P-USG may emerge as a possible risk factor for ASD. The past history of radiography provides a historical perspective: the predominant past opinion years ago was that exposure to X-rays during pregnancy caused no significant risk to a fetus. However, the association between X-ray exposure and childhood leukemia was only established 40 years after X-ray use began. This review focuses on the literature which supports the generation of the hypothesis that excessive P-USG usage may be a factor in the etiology of ASD.
To study the possible relationship of head circumference (HC) to learning problems in children, a... more To study the possible relationship of head circumference (HC) to learning problems in children, a retrospective study was done, using records from 360 subjects who had been evaluated between the years 1976 and 1981. The data selected from the records included standardized academic test results, e.g., IQ scores and school achievement test results, as well as determinations of visual motor abilities.Statistical analyses demonstrated a positive correlation between full scale IQ (FSIQ) and HC (p < 0.005). The incidence of specific learning disabilities based on significant academic and achievement discrepancies was 54% in those with HC > 2 S.D., 39% for normocephalic, and 23% for those with HC < 2 S.D. Comparison of HC with results from the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) demonstrated a tendency for those children with HC > 2 S.D. to have lower arithmetic scores when compared to results of children with normocephaly. Scores for spelling and reading ability did not demonstrate this tendency.The results of this study were found to be somewhat incongruous to those of previous studies of similar children. Further studies using large unselected populations are needed to better define the risks to learning that may be related to the extremes of head circumference.
Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, Sep 1, 1988
Bender-Gestalt error scores were cluster analyzed for a large group of children and adolescents e... more Bender-Gestalt error scores were cluster analyzed for a large group of children and adolescents evaluated because of learning difficulties. The results indicated two subgroups; one had a relatively high percentage of Bender-Gestalt errors, while the other had a relatively low percentage of Bender-Gestalt errors. The subgroups were compared on medical, developmental and growth, social, and intelligence variables. Several significant differences were found, particularly on developmental variables. Results are discussed in terms of the clinical utility of Bender-Gestalt error scores and in relation to developmental neuropsychological theory.
American Academy of Pediatrics eBooks, Apr 30, 2014
Widespread efforts are being made to increase awareness and provide education to pediatricians re... more Widespread efforts are being made to increase awareness and provide education to pediatricians regarding risk factors of child abuse and neglect. The purpose of this clinical report is to ensure that children with disabilities are recognized as a population that is also at risk of maltreatment. Some conditions related to a disability can be confused with maltreatment. The need for early recognition and intervention of child abuse and neglect in this population, as well as the ways that a medical home can facilitate the prevention and early detection of child maltreatment, are the subject of this report. INTRODUCTION The maltreatment of children, including those with disabilities, is a critical public health issue. For purposes of this report, the terms “disability” and “special health care needs” include the full spectrum of physical, mental, and emotional impairment. Current data on incidence and prevalence of maltreatment in children with disabilities are limited by varying definitions of disability and lack of uniform methods of classifying maltreatment. Nonetheless, children with disabilities and special health care needs are at increased risk of child maltreatment. This report is an update to the previous policy statement, “Assessment of Maltreatment of Children With Disabilities.”1 The Children’s Bureau reported that an estimated 872 000 children were determined to be victims of abuse or neglect in 2004.2 More than 60% of child victims experienced neglect, almost 20% were physically abused, and 10% were sexually abused. Of the 36 states that reported on disabilities, child victims who were reported with a disability accounted for 7.3% of all victims. Children with the following conditions were considered as having a disability: mental retardation, emotional disturbance, visual impairment, learning disability, physical disability, behavioral problems, or another medical problem. It was believed that these conditions were underrecognized and underreported, because not every child received a clinical diagnostic assessment when child maltreatment was suspected. Child maltreatment may result in the development of disabilities, which in turn can precipitate further abuse.3 Studies have been unable to accurately document the extent or rate of abuse among children with disabilities or determine if disabilities were present before the abuse or were the direct result of maltreatment.4 It should be emphasized also that several case reports and epidemiologic data remind us that the natural history of some medical conditions can include conditions that mimic child maltreatment.5,6 www.pediatrics.org/cgi/doi/10.1542/ peds.2007-0565 doi:10.1542/peds.2007-0565 All clinical reports from the American Academy of Pediatrics automatically expire 5 years after publication unless reaffirmed, revised, or retired at or before that time. The guidance in this report does not indicate an exclusive course of treatment or serve as a standard of medical care. Variations, taking into account individual circumstances, may be appropriate.
Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, Mar 1, 1995
The PAST 10 to 15 years have seen an unprecedented expansion of technological advancements in med... more The PAST 10 to 15 years have seen an unprecedented expansion of technological advancements in medicine. Who could have predicted years ago, for example, that a technique that you learned about in your college chemistry or physics class—nuclear magnetic resonance—would be developed into an amazing way to look inside a living person? No physician would willingly choose to return to those days before these advances. This computerized technological revolution has surprisingly had only a small impact on medical education. Most of the methods of medical student and resident education remain essentially unchanged from those of decades before. This has occurred despite numerous recommendations for change, such as for more problembased learning approaches. Although many excellent examples of medical computer-assisted instruction (CAI) programs exist, their use continues to remain very limited. Research on their effectiveness is even more uncommon. In several ways, perhaps, this "dragging of feet" was good for medical
The recent article by Paradise,1 dealing with the sequelae of repeated otitis, again cautions the... more The recent article by Paradise,1 dealing with the sequelae of repeated otitis, again cautions the clinician to be wary of reports that for some people serve as justification for aggressive treatments. His review of the literature, which consists of many diverse articles, seems accurate and appears to present fairly the differing view-points as well as some of the problems with conducting research in this area. One statement in the article deserves further enhancement, and is something that has been worrisome to us since the first publications on this type of research.
Children with various types of disabilities are beginning to benefit from the extensive developme... more Children with various types of disabilities are beginning to benefit from the extensive developments in the field of electronic and microcomputer technology that have occurred in recent years. There exists now many devices that can assist children with physical or communication handicaps, learning difficulties, or sensory impairments. Reviews of the literature were made in order to present some of the devices that are currently available and to introduce the concepts that they exemplify. With all of these devices, but especially for those designed to aid physically or communicatively handicapped children, careful planning and evaluation is needed. Steps in the processes of evaluation and selection of devices are outlined and discussed. Proper training and monitoring the use of these devices are other aspects that are addressed. Several issues dealing with the funding of these devices and how these devices can be used in innovative research, are also presented.
Children and adolescents with ongoing health conditions need primary care that makes sure their p... more Children and adolescents with ongoing health conditions need primary care that makes sure their preventive, acute and specialised needs are met and treatments coordinated. This is a comprehensive reference for their health professionals.
Owing primarily to the expanding use of microcomputers, there have been increasing improvements i... more Owing primarily to the expanding use of microcomputers, there have been increasing improvements in the methods of searching the pediatric medical literature. The past decade has brought about easier access to the MEDLINE database, initially through the Grateful Med program from the National Library of Medicine and, more recently, free access through the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW) using such programs as Internet Grateful Med and Pubmed.1>2 In
A recent development in computer-assisted medical instruction has been the introduction of &#... more A recent development in computer-assisted medical instruction has been the introduction of 'authoring systems'. Authoring systems are computer programs which can allow an instructor to prepare computer-based medical instructional materials without the need to know programming languages or have more than minimal familiarity with the computer hardware. This report documents the use of a commercially available authoring system that was used to prepare a tutorial for medical student instruction. This lesson presented information about paediatric developmental disabilities in both a text and question-and-answer format. Significant improvement in knowledge was demonstrated by the pre- and post-test results of the study group compared to the control group. The control group consisted of students who did not view the tutorial but had been assigned to a paediatric developmental disabilities clinic. The medical students who viewed the tutorial generally had very favourable comments about the use of such a system for the presentation of new information.
Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, Nov 12, 2008
SummaryThis study evaluated the efficacy of biofeedback training for fecal in continence in patie... more SummaryThis study evaluated the efficacy of biofeedback training for fecal in continence in patients with myelomeningocele. 12 patients were randomized to receive conventional treatment alone, or in conjunction with biofeedback. Anorectal manometric functions were evaluated before and after treatment, six and 12 months later. 16 control children were also studied. Three of eight patients in the biofeedback group and three of the four given conventional treatment alone reported 275 per cent improvement in frequency of soiling 12 months later. Biofeedback training did not improve anal squeeze, rectal sensation or continence of rectal infused saline. The number of patients who improved in both treatment groups was not different.RÉSUMÉRééiducation par biofeedback chez les spina bifida avec incontinence rectaleL'étude a tenté d'apprécier l'efficacité du biofeedback dans le traitement de l'incontinence rectale chez des patients porteurs d'un niyeloméningocele. 12 patients ont été distribut́és au hasard pour recevoir un traitement conventionnel seul, ou en conjonction avec un biofeedback. Les fonctions, manometriques anorectales furent appréciées avant et aprés traitement. L'incontinence fut apréciée six et 12 mois plus tard. 16 enfants contrôles furent aussi étudiés. L'incontinence s'améliora chez trois des huits sujets du groupe biofeedback et chez trois des quatres sujets du groupe conventionnel. Biofeedback n'a pas amélioré la pression annale, la sensibilite rectale ou la retention d'un lavement de solution salée. Le number de sujets ayant bénéficé du traitement dans chaque groupe n'était pas different.ZUSAMMENFASUNGBiofeedbacktraining für Patienten mit Myelomeningocele und StuhlinkontinenzIn dieser Studie wurde die Wirksamkeit eines Biofeedbacktrainings für Stuhlinkontinenz bei Patienten rnit Myelomeningocele untersucht. 12 Patienten wurden nur konventionel oder inVerbindung rnit dem Biofeedback behandelt. Die anorektalen Funktionen wurden vor und nach der Behandlung kontrolliert, und Kontinenz wurde sechs and 12 Monate später beurteilt. Außerdem wurden 16 Kontrollkinder untersucht. Drei von acht Patienten der Biofeedbackgruppe und drei vonvier Patienten rnit konventioneller Behandlung allein zeigten 12 Monate später ≥75 Prozent Besserung in der Häufigkeit des Einkotens. Das Biofeedbacktraining hat nicht den Sphinkterdruck,die rektale Empfindsamkeit oder die Kontinenz fur rektal infundierte Salzlösung verbessert. Die Anzahl der Patienten mit Besserung des Einkotens war ahnlich in den beiden Behandlungsgruppen.
The authors present three case studies of patients referred to Children's Hospital and Me... more The authors present three case studies of patients referred to Children's Hospital and Medical Center, Seattle, Washington, for evaluation of possible eating disorders. The atypical manifestations of the cases warranted further investigation, which revealed an organic basis for their weight loss. The authors summarize the typical findings of bulimia and anorexia nervosa and discuss the clues from the case studies that mandated further evaluation.
A retrospective study was done to determine whether improved weight gain follows inguinal hernia ... more A retrospective study was done to determine whether improved weight gain follows inguinal hernia repair in the premature infant and whether the presence of an inguinal hernia is associated with comparatively poorer weight gain prior to repair. Demographic and growth data from 28 premature infants who had undergone hernia repair were compared with corresponding data from 25 matched "control" premature patients. The two groups' weight for age Z scores for both time periods (i.e., before and after hernia repair) were then determined and analyzed. The differences found in Z scores between these two groups indicated that premature infants who have inguinal hernias seem to grow better after the hernia repair as compared with before the surgery. Despite issues related to group matching, the results of this study indicate that weight gain may be an additional factor to consider in determining the appropriate time to do surgical correction of a premature infant's inguinal hernia.
To the Editor.— Drs Ashwal and Schneider in their article, "Brain Death in the Newborn,"... more To the Editor.— Drs Ashwal and Schneider in their article, "Brain Death in the Newborn," 1 do a commendable job of presenting some of the data the Task Force on Brain Death in Children felt were lacking. 2 Other centers should be encouraged to perform a similar review in order to corroborate these findings. We agree that a declaration of brain death in the newborn is a relatively rare phenomenon. We also understand the pressing need for brain death to be determined accurately, ethically, and in a timely fashion.
For the past several decades, abdominal/pelvic prenatal ultrasonography (P-USG) has been the most... more For the past several decades, abdominal/pelvic prenatal ultrasonography (P-USG) has been the most significant technology used in obstetrics. There has been a tremendous increase in use throughout the world and there have been many improvements in the technology used. However, there are aspects of the technology such as frequency, exposure time, thermal and cavitation exposure indices, and increased acoustic output of the ultrasonic waves that possibly could be harmful to the embryo/fetus. In particular, prolonged exposure may increase susceptibility to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Along with the increasing use of P-USG, there has been a similar increase in the incidence of ASD. The diagnosis of ASD has been found to be more common in geographic areas with a more affluent ethnicity, high socioeconomic status, and high parental education. These are also areas where prenatal ultrasonography is readily available and affordable. Given that there are biophysical risks from P-USG, especially in non-medical settings, P-USG may emerge as a possible risk factor for ASD. The past history of radiography provides a historical perspective: the predominant past opinion years ago was that exposure to X-rays during pregnancy caused no significant risk to a fetus. However, the association between X-ray exposure and childhood leukemia was only established 40 years after X-ray use began. This review focuses on the literature which supports the generation of the hypothesis that excessive P-USG usage may be a factor in the etiology of ASD.
To study the possible relationship of head circumference (HC) to learning problems in children, a... more To study the possible relationship of head circumference (HC) to learning problems in children, a retrospective study was done, using records from 360 subjects who had been evaluated between the years 1976 and 1981. The data selected from the records included standardized academic test results, e.g., IQ scores and school achievement test results, as well as determinations of visual motor abilities.Statistical analyses demonstrated a positive correlation between full scale IQ (FSIQ) and HC (p < 0.005). The incidence of specific learning disabilities based on significant academic and achievement discrepancies was 54% in those with HC > 2 S.D., 39% for normocephalic, and 23% for those with HC < 2 S.D. Comparison of HC with results from the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) demonstrated a tendency for those children with HC > 2 S.D. to have lower arithmetic scores when compared to results of children with normocephaly. Scores for spelling and reading ability did not demonstrate this tendency.The results of this study were found to be somewhat incongruous to those of previous studies of similar children. Further studies using large unselected populations are needed to better define the risks to learning that may be related to the extremes of head circumference.
Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, Sep 1, 1988
Bender-Gestalt error scores were cluster analyzed for a large group of children and adolescents e... more Bender-Gestalt error scores were cluster analyzed for a large group of children and adolescents evaluated because of learning difficulties. The results indicated two subgroups; one had a relatively high percentage of Bender-Gestalt errors, while the other had a relatively low percentage of Bender-Gestalt errors. The subgroups were compared on medical, developmental and growth, social, and intelligence variables. Several significant differences were found, particularly on developmental variables. Results are discussed in terms of the clinical utility of Bender-Gestalt error scores and in relation to developmental neuropsychological theory.
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Papers by Larry Desch