Application of Luria’s Theoretical-Methodological Principles for Evaluation in Infants with School Difficulties in Math: a Case Study of Epilepsy (original) (raw)

Specific learning disorders in epileptic children

Journal of Bioscience and Applied Research

Specific learning disorders are more common in epileptic children even with normal IQ, The Epilepsy related factors such as (duration of illness , type and severity of epilepsy and medications used) are strongly related to increase risk of learning disorders. The present study is aimed to shed the light on the specific learning disorders in epileptic children and to study the relation between learning disorders and the epilepsy related factors such as duration , medications , type and severity of epilepsy. Also to study the relation between the learning disorders and the intelligence quotient. The study was conducted on 60 children between the age group of 9and 12 years old.All were subjected to a Semi structured interview, Learning & Developmental Disorders Rating Scales (LDDRS) Battery (El-Zyat , 2007), Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales (SB5), Fifth Edition translated by (Farag,2010). The results showed that Seizures was not the only problem that children with epilepsy are suffering from but also they are at greater risk for developing learning Disabilities. From the developmental disorders attention disorder was the most common detected followed by memory then auditory processing disorder followed by visual processing disorder then motor skills disorders. While regarding the academic learning disorders reading disorder was the most prevalent followed by the writing and mathematics being the least detected among the studied group. It is concluded that the most leading causes for learning disability in epileptic children ,as verified in the studied group, were the severity of epilepsy and type of therapy.

Intellectual functioning in pediatric patients with epilepsy: a comparison of medically controlled, medically uncontrolled and surgically controlled children

Jornal de Pediatria, 2010

Objective: To compare the intellectual coefficient (IQ) of three groups of children with epilepsy: 1) medically controlled, 2) medically uncontrolled and 3) surgically controlled. Methods: From December 2007 until July 2008, 98 pediatric patients were selected, with an age range between 6 and 12 years. Neuropsychological assessment included the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-third edition (WISC-III). Results are related to epileptic syndrome, etiology of epilepsy, drug therapy, age at epilepsy onset and epilepsy duration. Results: WISC scores were significantly better in the medically controlled group when compared to the medically uncontrolled group. The medically controlled group performed significantly better in the majority of the WISC subtests when compared to medically uncontrolled group: vocabulary, arithmetic, comprehension, digit span, picture completion, picture arrangement, and block design. A significantly higher number of idiopathic epilepsy and monotherapy cases was observed in the medically controlled group when compared to the medically uncontrolled group. Surgically controlled children had no significant differences in IQ performance when compared to medically controlled children. Conclusions: Children with good seizure control have higher general, verbal and performed intelligence when compared to children with refractory epilepsy. These results may be influenced by clinical factors such as use of monotherapy, drug type and epileptic syndrome and etiology. Epilepsy surgery can have a positive impact on cognitive performance of children who were free of seizures after surgery.

Learning disorders in children with epilepsy (in Greek)

Learning Disorders (LD) are defined as disorders which interfere with academic performance or with daily activities, which require reading, writing, or mathematical skills in subjects with a normal intelligence quotient (IQ). The prevalence of LD in the general population has been found to be 2-10% and reading disorders are the most frequent subtype. Epilepsy is one of the most common serious neurological disorders in childhood, with prevalence between 0,7-1%. LD are more common in children with epilepsy than in the general population, as 25% of children with epilepsy are considered to have LD. The etiology is multifactorial, being affected by the type of epileptic syndrome, the age of onset and the antiepileptic treatment being selected. LD can be either permanent or state-dependent. Each category has different treatment protocols and prognosis. Despite the high prevalence of LD, a healthy family and school environment can help to reduce their impact on the patient’s quality of life.

Neuropsychologic Performance of Children with Epilepsy on the NEPSY

Pediatric Neurology, 2007

Neuropsychologic test scores from a group of children with epilepsy were compared to the standardization sample of the NEPSY: A Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment, a relatively new neuropsychologic testing instrument. Nineteen children with a confirmed diagnosis of epilepsy (11 boys, 8 girls), aged 3؊12 years, participated. Attention/executive function, language, sensorimotor, visuospatial, and learning/memory domain scores were examined, as well as individual subtest scores. The mean scores on the attention/executive function, language, and sensorimotor domains were >1.5 standard deviations below the normative mean, and significantly lower than the mean visuospatial domain score (P < 0.05). The mean language domain score was also significantly lower than the learning/memory score (P < 0.05). Mean subdomain scores varied, with impairment on two tasks measuring rapid automatic processing and graphomotor precision, respectively. On the majority of subtests, 15% or more of the sample scored in the impaired range. Associations between patient age, seizure onset age, seizure frequency, and antiepileptic medication status were not associated with outcome, perhaps due in part to the small sample size. The strengths and weaknesses of the NEPSY as a measure of neuropsychologic functioning in children with epilepsy, and its utility in highlighting risks to academic achievement are discussed.

NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL AND MATHEMATICAL PERFORMANCE IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH BRAIN INJURY: A MULTIPLE-CASE STUDY

Many students have struggled with mathematics along school years. The achievement of mathematical competences depends not only upon the acquisition of knowledge on numerical concepts, calculation procedures and arithmetical rules, but also upon the development of specific cognitive skills, such as those related to problem-solving and visuospatial processing. Such functions are often impaired in cases of brain damage during childhood, depending on variables such as the extent and location of cerebral lesions. Discussions regarding possible associations 1 silvfeld@terra.com.br 2 cberlimmello@gmail.com Feldberg; Mello; Davis; Nogueira; Bueno; Muszkat 123 -v.5(2)-2012 JIEEM -Jornal Internacional de Estudos em Educação Matemática IJSME -International Journal for Studies in Mathematics Education between mathematical performance and cognitive processes may contribute to a better understanding of the neuropsychological expressions of low mathematical achievement showed by brain damaged students. In this multiple-case study, five male children and adolescents between ages of 12 and 15, suffering from brain damages of different etiologies, and varying location and extent of injuries, with normal intellectual performance and with complaints of difficulties in math, were submitted to mathematical achievement tests (including a Brazilian educational exam, the SARESP), and to neuropsychological assessment. The results indicated that difficulties in consolidating concepts of numbers, operations, arithmetical problem solving skills as well as visuoconstructive and executive functioning deficits were predominant in all cases. Based on these observations, some reflections are raised regarding the relationship between neuropsychological deficits and low mathematical performance, considering Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology models.

2012-NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL AND MATHEMATICAL PERFORMANCE IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH BRAIN INJURY

L.S.Vygotsky, A.R.Luria and developmental neuropsychology

This article is devoted to L. S. Vygotsky’s and A.R. Luria’s contribution to the theory and methods of neuropsychology, and particularly developmental neuropsychology. The first part of the article covers the principles of neuropsychology as elaborated by Vygotsky and Luria. The goal of the second part is to show what interpretation of learning disabilities can be derived from it.

Intelligence in childhood epilepsy syndromes

Epilepsy Research, 2003

Intellectual deficits play a significant role in the psychosocial comorbidity of children with epilepsy. Early educational intervention is critical. Objective: This study aims to determine the intellectual ability of children with common childhood epilepsy syndromes-generalised idiopathic epilepsy (GIE), generalised symptomatic epilepsy (GSE), temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE), frontal lobe epilepsy (FLE), central epilepsy (CE) and non-localised partial epilepsy (PE). Methods: A prospective consecutive series of 169 children were recruited. Epilepsy syndrome was identified by clinical data, seizure semiology, interictal and ictal EEG in each child, using International League Against Epilepsy criteria. Each child had neuropsychology assessment using age-normed and validated instruments. After adjusting for important epilepsy variables, 95% confidence intervals were generated for mean full-scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) using ANCOVA. Results: Significant differences between epilepsy syndrome groups were found for age of onset (P < 0.001), duration of active epilepsy (P = 0.027), seizure frequency (P = 0.037) and polytherapy (P = 0.024). Analysing FSIQ, children with GIE, CE and TLE performed best, and did not differ statistically. Children with GSE had a statistically lower FSIQ than other syndrome groups except PE. FLE functioned significantly better than GSE, but did not differ statistically from other groups. Conclusions: In childhood epilepsy, delineation of the syndrome has important implications when considering intellectual potential. This information is invaluable in planning educational interventions and supporting the family.

Intellectual Functions of Patients with Childhood-Onset Epilepsy

Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology, 2008

epileptic patients had shown a small but statistically significant decline (especially (Rodin 1968), and comparable data were lacking for children, this investigation was whether childhood-onset epilepsy has a deleterious influence on some mental z 9 functions, as sampled by the Wechsler test and, if this were the case, to delineate some of the responsible factors.

Application of Luria’s Theoretical-Methodological Principles for Evaluation in Infants with School Difficulties in Math: a Case Study of Epilepsy (original) (raw)

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