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Frequency of minor nervous dysfunction in school children
Journal of Neurology
|December 7, 1978
Summary
Minor nervous dysfunction (MND) was suspected in 15.9% of third graders. This study found no correlation between MND diagnosis and school performance or social class when excluding behavioral criteria.
Area of Science:
- Developmental neurology
- Pediatric neurology
- Child psychology
Background:
- Minor nervous dysfunction (MND) is a diagnostic consideration in pediatric neurology.
- Assessing MND frequency and its correlates in school-aged children is crucial for understanding developmental pathways.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the frequency of minor nervous dysfunction (MND) in a cohort of third-grade schoolchildren.
- To investigate the relationship between MND diagnosis, visuomotor performance, and socio-academic factors.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 88 third-grade children underwent neurological and motoscopic examinations.
- Visuomotor performance was assessed using the Gleiss test.
- Data analysis explored correlations between MND, optimality concepts, school marks, and social class.
Main Results:
- Suspected MND was identified in 15.9% of the studied population.
- Only two children met Prechtl's optimality criteria for optimal performance.
- Excluding behavioral criteria from MND diagnosis yielded no significant correlation with school marks or social class.
Conclusions:
- The diagnostic utility of behavioral disturbances in certain pediatric syndromes, like Lempp's "frühkindliches exogenes Psychosyndrom," warrants further investigation.
- Behavioral disturbances were observed with similar frequency in children with and without diagnosed organic brain dysfunction or from lower social classes.