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Cognitive abilities and lipomyelomeningocele
W N Friedrich1, D B Shurtleff, J Shaffer
1Section of Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905.
Insights
Children with lipomyelomeningocele show average intellectual, academic, and behavioral skills. However, they have lower perceptual-motor abilities, similar to those seen in meningomyelocele.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Pediatric Neurology
Background:
- Lipomyelomeningocele is a congenital spinal cord defect.
- Understanding the neurodevelopmental profile of children with lipomyelomeningocele is crucial for targeted interventions.
- Previous research has primarily focused on meningomyelocele, leaving a gap in knowledge regarding lipomyelomeningocele-specific outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the intellectual, academic, behavioral, and perceptual-motor characteristics of children with lipomyelomeningocele.
- To compare the neurodevelopmental profile of children with lipomyelomeningocele to their meningomyelocele counterparts.
- To identify potential areas of neurodevelopmental vulnerability in this population.
Main Methods:
- Ten consecutive referrals with lipomyelomeningocele were assessed.
- Standardized assessments included the WISC-R (intelligence), WRAT-R (academic achievement), VMI (visual-motor integration), and CBCL (behavioral characteristics).
- Data were analyzed to determine group averages and identify specific skill deficits.
Main Results:
- As a group, children with lipomyelomeningocele demonstrated average intellectual, academic, and behavioral functioning.
- A notable finding was the presence of low-average perceptual-motor skills in this cohort.
- This perceptual-motor deficit was a characteristic more commonly observed in children with meningomyelocele.
Conclusions:
- Children with lipomyelomeningocele generally present with average cognitive, academic, and behavioral profiles.
- Perceptual-motor skills represent a potential area of neurodevelopmental concern, warranting further investigation and support.
- These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive neurodevelopmental evaluations for children with lipomyelomeningocele to address specific functional challenges.
Abstract:
Ten children with lipomyelomeningocele were evaluated with the WISC--R, the Wide Range Achievement Test--Revised, the Developmental Test of Visual-motor Integration, and the Child Behavior Checklist. These children were consecutive referrals to a birth defects clinic. Unlike their meningomyelocele counterparts, as a group these children appear to be average in their intellectual, academic, and behavioral characteristics. However, they exhibited low average perceptual motor skills, a feature more commonly seen in meningomyelocele.