The severity of the silent epidemic of lead poisoning and its long range effects on young children in impairment of intellectual ability, short-term memory, concentration, and reaction time have been recognized. A 3-year strategic plan for preventing childhood lead poisoning in Illinois was developed by a planning committee working through four…

By graduation, all medical students should be able to demonstrate appropriate attitudes, core knowledge, and basic skills in assessment and intervention with patients at risk from or experiencing violence. Postgraduate medical training should prepare physicians with specialized knowledge and skills, and faculty development for medical school…

As spinoffs of the current revolution in the cognitive and neurosciences, clinical neuropsychologists in the 21st century will be employing biological tests of intelligence and cognition which record individual differences in brain functions at the neuromolecular, neurophysiologic, and neurochemical levels. Assessment of patients will focus more…

Eleven brief articles focus on specific learning disabilities with emphasis on programs in New York State and City. Articles have the following titles and authors: "The History of Learning Disabilities Revisited" (J. Wiederholt, G. Hale); "The Learning in Learning Disability--Ask What, Not Why" (R. Schworm) which stresses the…

Presented are transcriptions of a research panel presentation held at the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Boston, Massachusetts, April 1979. The members of the panel are all involved in working directly with children in a clinical setting for pupils with learning disabilities in mathematics and with graduate…

The need for valid and reliable neuropsychological assessment procedures for differential assessment of learning disorders in children is emphasized. The neuropsychological procedures outlined are based on the theory that learning acquisition represents a hierarchy of information processing skills. A hierarchical model along with related…

An approach to the diagnosis of pervasive developmental disorders is presented that considers the difficulties in relationships and communication secondary to sensory and motor processing deficits. These difficulties are conceptualized as Multisystem Developmental Disorder (MSDD), and case vignettes illustrate typical patterns of MSDD and…

This monograph examines the particular problems that can beset creative children when their behaviors are mistaken for the frequently diagnosed psychoeducational condition of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). A brief history of ADHD is given, tracing the difficulty that researchers have experienced in defining and accurately…

Discusses the discrepancies among physicians, psychologists, and schools regarding the diagnosis and treatment of attention deficit disorders. Stresses the need for all evaluations to include cross-disciplinary cooperation, and for the acceptance of standardized measures as part of the identification and treatment process. (CR)

A mother of an adult son with Asperger disorder discusses his adoption, the symptoms of his disability, social problems that he encountered in school, and his placement in a psychiatric hospital. His misdiagnosis with reactive attachment disorder and the long journey to a correct diagnosis of Asperger disorder are recounted. (CR)

This paper addresses the dilemma faced by the requirement that educators provide appropriate and effective education for higher functioning students with autism, while lacking the necessary knowledge to provide such interventions. The first section discusses the diagnosis of autism (especially noting the presence of a "triad" of deficits…

The Social Security Administration (SSA) provides income support and medical benefits for adults with mental retardation unable to perform substantial gainful activity through the Disability Insurance (DI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. SSI benefits are also provided to families of children and adolescents who evidence…

The best way to determine the scope of the clinical education of medical students is to define competencies expected of newly graduated physicians (exit objectives). These objectives ensure that the scope of education includes the content, teaching/learning methods, and evaluation techniques that will result in a competent, professional product.…

Mel Levine writes about learning disabilities in a way that sometimes invites satire. The premise of his 2003 book, "The Myth of Laziness," for example, is that a child who appears lazy probably does not lack motivation, but rather suffers from "output failure." Levine, a professor of pediatrics at the University of North…

This report summarizes activities and findings of a federally funded center at the Arkansas Children's Hospital which reviewed and disseminated literature on the identification and assessment of children with attention deficit disorders (ADD). Meetings throughout Arkansas led to the identification of interest areas, and findings are summarized for…