Intellectual development and academic performance of children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus: A longitudinal study.

Abstract

Eighty-seven school-age children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) were assessed repeatedly over the first 6 years of their IDDM to determine the effects of the medical disorder on intellectual development and academic performance. At the initial diagnosis, verbal and nonverbal intellectual performance and school grades were in the average ranges. Over time, verbal performance and school grades declined, whereas nonverbal intellectual performance improved slightly. Duration of IDDM was found to be related to the outcome variables, but the degree of metabolic control was not. Analysis of longitudinal data for a 6-year interval on a demographically closely matched post hoc comparison group revealed parallel but less pronounced trends in verbal and nonverbal intellectual performance but not in school grades