Dilemmas in assessing the health status of children with learning disabilities

There has been little research directed at the evaluation of the general health status of children in mainstream settings with learning disabilities. The purpose of this study was to describe the effectiveness of a teacher-referral instrument in comparing the health status of children with learning disabilities and nondisabled children. Health records were reviewed to validate the findings of the teacher assessments. Students with learning disabilities were found to have increased frequency of health problems on the teacher-referral instrument. The health records did not serve to validate the teacher assessments, however, as a result of missing information and format inconsistencies. Policy implications are identified and discussed.