Comparison of brand-name Depakene with generic valproic acid medication to control seizures in 64 subjects with mental retardation living in an intermediate care facility found no statistically significant differences in seizures or blood levels. Results suggest use of the generic medication can result in substantial cost savings. (Author/DB)

A patient with pica and Lennox Gastaut syndrome suddenly refused oral intake. Neck radiographs revealed no foreign body. Barium swallow identified an irregular filling defect in the cervical esophagus. Esophagoscopy showed a gold ball-like object (half a lemon) 3 cm distal to the cricopharyngeus. This object had to be removed by esophagotomy after…

Long-term synaptic enhancement in the hippocampus has been suggested to cause deficits in spatial performance. Synaptic enhancement has been reported after hippocampal kindling that induced repeated electrographic seizures or afterdischarges (ADs) and after long-term potentiation (LTP) defined as synaptic enhancement without ADs. We studied…

Research examining autistic symptoms in Angelman syndrome (AS) is limited. The goal of this study was to further characterize the nature of stereotyped behaviors, social interaction deficits, and developmental disturbances in individuals with AS. Parents of 248 individuals between the ages of 3 and 22 completed a survey of autistic symptomatology…

THIS STUDY WAS DESIGNED TO DETERMINE THE INCIDENCE OF SEIZURES AMONG CHILDREN IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND TEACHERS' KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDES ABOUT EPILEPTIC CHILDREN. OF 70,342 CHILDREN IN MINNEAPOLIS PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SEPTEMBER 1963, 318 (A RATE OF 4.52 PER 1,000) HAD A MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS OF SEIZURES. FIFTY-SIX PERCENT OF THESE WERE BOYS AND 44…

A Supreme Court ruling of January 1985 reversed a New Jersey Supreme Court decision of March 1984, which found a student search violated the Fourth Amendment. The reversal by the Supreme Court leaves unanswered some important questions about school searches. (MD)

Four federal district court findings on the Fourth Amendment rights of college students. (Editor)

The author suggests that an informed, optimistic approach can bring new confidence to the epileptic child in the classroom. Types of seizures are described, as are positive techniques and approaches which would be advantageous for the teacher to adopt. (KC)

The prevalence and pattern of psychotropic and antiepileptic drug treatment for trainable mentally retarded children and adolescents in public schools were determined from teacher questionnaires and parent interviews. The relationship between drug use and age, race, and sex was also examined. (Author)

The article lists 25 management procedures for teachers who might encounter children having uncontrolled or partially controlled seizure disorders. (DB)

The article describes a population of retarded people in a British city who were followed from childhood up to the age of 22 years and examines the frequency of various kinds and degrees of intellectual, physical, and behavioral impairment which they suffer. (Author/DLS)

Considers how school officials face the delicate task of balancing a student's individual right to Fourth Amendment protection against their duty to provide a safe and secure environment for all students--a major challenge in cases involving intrusive searches. Discusses recent developments involving intrusive searches, previous court rulings…