ERIC Number: ED252027
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1984-Apr
Pages: 7
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Children in Classes for the Severely Emotionally Handicapped.
Silver, Archie A.
Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, v5 n2 p49-54 Apr 1984
The report describes the clinical findings of a collaborative program to provide appropriate neuropsychiatric skills for 60 children ages 8 to 14 (grade 3 to 8) and their teachers. The children represented the entire population of two self-contained units (eight classes) for the treatment of children designated as severely emotionally handicapped but not autistic. Of the 60 children, 36 (60%) were suffering from learning disabilities. Eighteen of these had neurological signs suggestive of organic defect of the central nervous system; the remaining 18 children with learning disabilities had specific or developmental learning disabilities characterized by perceptual immaturity in spatial orientation and/or temporal organization, but the classical neurological examination administered to them was within normal limits. Ten additional children were classified as having an attention deficit disorder, and 11 additional children were functioning at a borderline level of cognitive ability. Fifty-nine of the 60 children were suffering from diagnosable psychiatric disorders: 21 (35%) severely anxious, 13 (22%) clinically depressed, 12 (20%) conduct disorders, 6 (10%) oppositional, 3 (5%) schizophrenic, 2 (3%) obessive-compulsive disorder, and 2 (3%) personality disorder. Applications of these findings suggest the need for biological evaluation of problem children and for early detection of children vulnerable to academic failure and emotional disturbances. (Author/CL)
Descriptors: Case Studies, Clinical Diagnosis, Depression (Psychology), Elementary Education, Emotional Disturbances, Learning Disabilities, Neurological Impairments, Perceptual Handicaps, Severe Disabilities, Student Characteristics
Archie A. Silver, USF Medical School, 12901 N. 30th St., Tampa, FL 33612.
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Journal Articles
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A