Electroencephalographic characteristics of children with learning disabilities

Normal, borderline and abnormal EEG findings were investigated in 122 children with no evidence of active neurological or psychiatric disorder, or perceptual or behavioral alterations. All children had a normal IQ. Sixty-one children had a good academic achievement (Controls) and 61 were considered as learning disabled (LD). The great majority of the children had pathological antecedents considered as risk factors for brain damage. The main findings observed were: Abnormal signs were significantly more frequent in LD than in control children. Atypical high amplitude alpha, and abnormal focal paroxysmal and nonparoxysmal activities were found only in LD children with risk factors. No significant differences in the resting EEG were found between presence or absence of pathological antecedents, or between males and females, when the children were compared as a group against the 4 EEG categories. Paroxysmal reactivity to eye-closure was only observed in children with a pathological history. Excessive response to hyperventilation (Grades II and III) was found significantly more frequently in girls than in boys.