NCJ Number
54558
Date Published
1966
Length
24 pages
Annotation
THIS FIRST REPORT IN A SERIES OF DYSFUNCTIONS ALTERING THE BEHAVIOR AND INTELLECTUAL PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN DISCUSSES MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION, ITS IDENTIFYING FACTORS, AND ITS TERMINOLOGY.
Abstract
SINCE 1950, THE RESEARCH LITERATURE HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CONCERNED WITH CLINICALLY ORIENTED REPORTS AND STUDIES OF THE DISABILITIES FALLING UNDER THE GENERAL CONCEPT OF MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION IN CHILDREN. THE ORGANICITY IDEA, THE PROPOSITION THAT ANY CONDITION WHICH ALTERS NORMAL FUNCTIONING CAN MANIFEST ITSELF IN LEARNING AND BEHAVIOR IRREGULARITIES, IS NECESSARY TO THE CONCEPT OF MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION. TWO GROUPS OF TERMS COVERING THE ORGANIC ASPECTS AND CONSEQUENCES OF DYSFUNCTIONS ARE PROVIDED. THE TERM 'MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION SYNDROME' IS APPLIED TO CHILDREN WITH NEAR AVERAGE, AVERAGE, OR ABOVE AVERAGE GENERAL INTELLIGENCE WITH CERTAIN LEARNING OR BEHAVIORAL DISABILITIES RANGING FROM MILD TO SEVERE, AND IT IS ASSOCIATED WITH DEVIATIONS OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM FUNCTIONS. SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: BELOW MENTAL AGE LEVEL SCORING ON DRAWING TESTS; POOR SCORING ON GROUP TESTS; IMPAIRED DISCRIMINATION OF SIZE; IMPAIRED DISCRIMINATION OF RIGHT-LEFT AND UP-DOWN; POOR SPACIAL AND TIME ORIENTATION; GENERAL AWKWARDNESS; POOR FINE VISUAL-MOTOR COORDINATION; CONFUSED PERCEPTION OF LATERALITY; HYPERACTIVITY; READING DISABILITIES; POOR ABILITY TO ORGANIZE WORK; POOR SHORT- AND LONG-TERM MEMORY; PECULIAR FOOD HABITS; IMPULSIVENESS; LOW TOLERANCE FOR FRUSTRATION; SLEEP ABNORMALITIES; AGGRESSIVENESS; SLOW PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT; ANTISOCIAL BEHAVIOR; SHORT ATTENTION SPANS; AND SPEECH DISORDERS. DIAGNOSTIC AND EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR CHILDREN AND A BIBLIOGRAPHY ARE PRESENTED. (DAG)