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Mental retardation in Swedish urban children: some epidemiological considerations
Insights
This study estimated the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders in Gothenburg, Sweden. Almost 1% of children had intellectual disability, with another 1% showing borderline intelligence.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Public Health
Background:
- Estimating the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders is crucial for public health planning.
- Previous studies may not fully capture the spectrum of these conditions in a general population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders, including intellectual disability, in children born in 1971 in Gothenburg, Sweden.
- To identify children with perceptual, conceptual, motor, and attentional deficits.
Main Methods:
- Screening of the total child population born in 1971 and residing in Gothenburg by the end of 1977.
- Teacher-completed questionnaires for preschool attendees to identify potential deficits.
- Neuropsychiatric examinations for selected children.
- Review of national registers to include children not attending public preschools.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of unequivocal mental retardation was nearly 1%.
- An additional 1% of the total child population exhibited borderline intelligence.
- Teacher questionnaires identified children with various neurodevelopmental deficits for further assessment.
Conclusions:
- The study provides essential prevalence data for intellectual disability and borderline intelligence in a defined Swedish child population.
- Early identification of neurodevelopmental disorders through screening and assessment is vital for intervention and support.
Abstract:
The total population of children born in 1971 and living in Gothenburg, Sweden, by the end of 1977 was screened in order to estimate prevalence figures for various neurodevelopmental disorders. Ninety-four percent of all children assessed attended public preschools. Questionnaires aimed at detecting perceptual, conceptual, motor, and attentional deficits were completed by preschool teachers for 72% of children in these schools. Samples of children with and without problems on the questionnaire were given neuropsychiatric examinations. National registers were searched to identify mentally retarded children not in public preschools. The total population frequency figure for unequivocal mental retardation was almost 1% with an additional 1% of the total population deemed to be of borderline intelligence.