Chronic Neurological Impairment Research Articles

Teaching Reading to Brain-Damaged Children: A Review

REVIEWS THE LITERATURE on teaching reading to brain-damaged children for the period 1960 to 1970. Only nine articles represented experimental investigations of the problem. These articles were examined with respect to the adequacy of reporting information and data concerning the diagnosis of brain damage and it was found that the criteria for diagnosing brain damage was generally inadequate or nonexistent. There was little evidence to suggest that children with chronic neurological impairment at the level of the cerebral hemispheres require or benefit from teaching procedures which differ from those used for reading retardates without brain damage. Advantages and limitations of various neurological tests are discussed. Recommendations were made for standards to be followed in documenting brain damage in research studies on the teaching of reading to brain-damaged children.

THE MODERN MORBIDITY OF PERTUSSIS IN INFANTS

Seventy-five children who had pertussis during early infancy and survived from a group having less than 1% mortality were recalled and examined, along with controls, for evidences of chronic pulmonary disease, neurological impairment, intellectual performance, and current behavior. The data show no incidence of chronic pulmonary disease and no significant neurological sequelae in this small sample. There was a statistically significant reduction in performance on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children for the Negro group who had pertussis, compared to the controls, but not for the white pairs. These observations give renewed justification for urging comprehensive immunization programs against pertussis.