A project made use of computer technology to help a child with cerebral palsy communicate and learn. Software programs for the project, developed by the City of Manchester College of Higher Education and the Lancasterian School, are widely adaptable and can be used by nonspecialist teachers. (Authors/PP)

The authors examine parental stress on the birth of a cerebral palsied (CP) child, medical aspects of CP, the beginnings of communication, and need for parental involvement in the child's early experiences. Then described are a family's efforts to provide a normal environment for a seven-year-old CP girl. (MC)

Only diagnosis of handicap was significantly related to the tendency for children to be either less or more positive in response to the items than their mothers, with cerebral palsy children more positive and spina bifida children consistently less positive in direction. (Author)

A study investigating the discrimination abilities of two crib-bound, cerebral palsied, profoundly retarded females demonstrates the importance of individual differences among such children and suggests that discriminative responding may be demonstrated by at least some profoundly retarded children, particularly if distributed practice is employed…

This response to EC 633 617, an analysis of a purported case of facilitated communication, stresses the role of linguistic and grammatical analysis of texts attributed to a Finnish man diagnosed with mental retardation and cerebral palsy. It identifies weaknesses in the analysis, urges use of multi-theoretical approaches, and notes the benefits…

A literature review found behavioral side effects occurred for 13% of 446 individuals with mental retardation who were prescribed benzodiazepine for either behavioral or psychiatric conditions (n=138, 17.4%), epilepsy (n=20, 15.4%), or other medical conditions such as myoclonus or cerebral palsy (n=100, 2%). Implications of nonrecognition are…

This article reviews the origins, principles, and present practice of conductive education (CE), an educational system to rehabilitate people with motor disabilities caused by early damage to the central nervous system. Numerous variants of CE and an increasing demand for CE are noted. International cooperation, quality management, and monitoring…

Sleep patterns of 103 institutionalized individuals with profound mental retardation were explored. Almost 40% were found to have short-sleep patterns. Short-sleep was predicted by blindness; nonshort-sleep was predicted by diagnosis of cerebral palsy and sodium valproate usage. Techniques for minimizing possible negative consequences of…

Object play and communication development were studied with four infants with cerebral palsy, involving time spent with objects, types of object play, and object selection. As coordinated looking between object and adult emerged, children demonstrated increased interest in objects and sophistication in their play behaviors. (SW)

A study explored the relationship between family coping with cerebral palsy and adaptation in 274 families. Variance in family coping was accounted for by positive family appraisal, support from concerned others, spiritual support, personal growth and advocacy, and positive social interaction. Positive family appraisal and spiritual support…

Four children with cerebral visual impairment caused by periventricular leukomalacia were followed for two years during their process of learning to read in mainstream classes. Two of the children were offered both Braille and print reading as reading media. The other two children read ordinary print without special teaching. Differences in…

This paper presents the processes and findings of a three-year action research project implemented in a small number of urban slums in the city of Kolkata (previously known as Calcutta), the capital of the state of West Bengal in Eastern India. The project involved partnership between an established institute for cerebral palsy in Kolkata, two…

Constructing and maintaining a supportable daily routine is an important task for families with young children, particularly when the child has a disability. In this study, we examined relationships between children's developmental needs, disability diagnosis, and families' resources and accommodations. Participants included families with infants…

A population-based survey was conducted among 152,732 Finnish children and adolescents aged under 16 years and living in northern Finland. Diagnoses and associated medical conditions were derived from the hospital and institutional records of this area. One hundred and eighty-seven children with DSM-IV autistic disorder were identified. Associated…