The authors present a screening device with which teachers of severely handicapped students may detect the presence of a physical problem. The screening approach covers vision, auditory problems, seizures, orthopedic problems, and pain. (CL)

Clinical and neurophysiological findings for 28 patients (mean age 15 years) with mental retardation, autism, and epilepsy were described, including classification of seizure type and epileptic syndrome, etiology, severity of autism and epilepsy, electroencephalography findings, and neuroimaging findings. No particular epileptic syndrome…

This study, involving 90 children with mental retardation and epilepsy, classified and compared level of retardation, neurological findings, and electroencephalograms with the quality of seizure control. No correlation was found between quality of control and any of these parameters. (Author/JDD)

Exercise has important benefits for people with epilepsy, but several factors must be considered when making activity recommendations. Seizures during sports activity are rare, but physicians, coaches, and parents should know what to do if a seizure occurs. Some antiepileptic drugs may adversely affect sports performance, and exertion may reduce…

Assessment of 84 children diagnosed with controlled or uncontrolled complex partial or absence seizures but no documented learning or emotional disorders found no influence of seizure type on achievement test scores or behavioral ratings. A main effect was found for degree of control, with poorly controlled seizures correlating with lower reading…

The treatment of seizure disorders and EEG epileptiform abnormalities without epilepsy in children with autism spectrum disorders in considered within the context of the relationship epilepsy and epileptiform disorders to language, behavior, and cognition. The use of anticonvulsants to treat epileptiform discharges thought to be producing…

The use of anti-epileptic medications (AEDs) is much higher in individuals with intellectual disabilities than in the general population. As many of these individuals rely on such medications, clinicians should consider psychometrically sound instruments for assessing adverse side effects of these medications as one aspect of routine clinical…

Neural generators related to different sleep components have different effects on seizure discharge. These sleep-related systems can provoke seizure discharge propagation during nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and can suppress propagation during REM sleep. Experimental manipulations of discrete physiological components were conducted in feline…

The efficacy of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and psychotropic medications in children with autism is limited to the treatment of seizures or to specific behaviors such as irritability, impulsivity, hyperactivity, repetitive behaviors, or aggression. The reliability and value of the available data--to determine the efficacy of these medications in…

Supplementing a national survey of self-help group members, a study examined the functioning of an epilepsy self-help group in order to identify communication patterns establishing mutual aid. An examination of eight tape-recorded sessions was combined with an observer's field notes to develop a profile of the group. Analysis revealed a loosely…

Intended to assist Illinois educational personnel to provide vocational education services for students with physical disabilities, the handbook's eight sections focus on program and facility modification to accommodate physically disabled students in regular vocational education programs. Section I introduces the topic, provides an historical…

Questionnaires completed by 34 epilepsy clients of a long-term comprehensive and decentralized neurological center are analyzed, and professional staff time-statistics are considered in terms of staff member-client interaction time. Survey responses are outlined for the following aspects (sample findings in parentheses): the five most important…

This demonstration project represents a pioneer effort in dealing with the joblessness situation of workers with convulsive disorders. Providing 1,200 jobseekers with vocational counseling, individual job development, training, and placement, the program showed that under good economic conditions a systematic approach can avoid needless…

An attempt was made to place 58 severaly disabled epileptic people in competitive employment. (Author/BD)

Provides school counselors and other educational personnel with basic information regarding epilepsy and seizure control and management. Discusses how to provide appropriate services to epileptic students and their families, especially in the students' adjustment to regular school programs. (Author/ABB)