Reviews the continuing overrepresentation of African-American children and youth in special education programs for students with learning disabilities, severe emotional or behavioral disabilities, and mental disabilities. Uses a critical-theory model to examine how basic assumptions, world views, beliefs, and epistemologies serve to perpetuate…

Two cohorts of 3694 second-grade children were screened for emotional/behavioral disorders (EBD). Children were identified by using the current federally mandated definition and by also using an alternative definition that requires school and parent involvement in determining symptom presence. Most participants were identified by schools as…

This introductory article describes following articles (EC 625 128-134) that address processes and issues related to offering care for children with swallowing disorders in the public school. Procedures for screening, assessing, and treatment, issues involved in establishing a dysphagia program in a school system, and legal and ethical issues are…

This article describes the second edition of the Attention Deficit Disorders Evaluation Scale (ADDES II), an individually administered behavior rating scale developed to assist in the identification and service of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders. Its purpose, administration, interpretation of scores, standardization,…

The relationship between prenatal drug exposure, emotional and behavioral disorder (E/BD) identification in Head Start, and subsequent special education kindergarten placement in 145 Head Start children (ages 3-4) was examined. Results showed that 47% of the drug-exposed group versus 35% of the non-drug-exposed group met classification criteria…

This paper discusses assessment of autistic and deaf-blind children with such severe difficulties in communication that they are often labeled as untestable and subsequently misdiagnosed as severely to profoundly mentally retarded. It urges nonintrusive assessment and appropriate intervention as the most relevant procedures for helping this…

A study compared 365 Jamaican adolescents and 365 American adolescents (ages 12-18) on scores on the Child Behavior Checklists, Teacher's Report Form, and Youth Self-Report. Adolescents in both societies reported more problems than parents or teachers. Jamaican adolescents had higher ratings for the Withdrawn and Somatic Complaints syndromes.…

Discussion of the role of the physician in working with college students with Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) includes a definition of this role, symptoms and etiology of ADHD, gender differences, diagnosis criteria, use of worksheets and questionnaires, multimodal treatment, the use of medication and its side effects, and need for…

this article provides an overview of anorexia nervosa and bulimia in children and adolescents, including ages of onset, prevalence, and clinical characteristics. Behavior, cognitive, and affective characteristics are outlined. Strategies are provided for teachers and counselors who are concerned about students who have or may have eating…

This article summarizes results of a 1998 conference which reviewed research on screening and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders and identifies promising areas of research especially the search for the ultimate diagnostic indicator, infant screening and diagnosis, the role of sensory-motor disorders, diagnosis of co-occurring disorders,…

This article discusses the disproportional placement of African-American males in programs for students with serious emotional disturbance and their poor school outcomes. It urges educators to focus more attention on appropriate and successful interventions within a continuum of educational services for this population. Case examples are provided…

Newborn screening for fragile X syndrome (FXS) is technically possible, and in the relatively near future accurate and inexpensive screening technologies are likely to be available. When that happens, will America's public health system adopt newborn screening for fragile X syndrome? This article addresses this issue by first placing screening for…

The goal of this review of the research literature is to discuss approaches to the early detection of autism in infancy. Early detection would enable diagnoses to be made before 18 months of age rather than at 24-30 months, the age where diagnoses start to be made now. After summarizing the criteria for a deficit to be considered "core" to the…

Educators face many challenges in the classroom. One of the most difficult challenges is structuring school success for students who do not meet the goals and objectives of the educational system. Enrollment of these students, generally referred to as "at-risk", has dramatically increased (more than 250%) over the past two decades (Franklin,…

Special education as a percentage of total enrollment has risen significantly across the nation, increasing from 8% of the school-age population in 1975-76 to 12% in 2001-02. These growing numbers have garnered increased public attention and have raised questions as to whether the type of special education funding formula used by states may be…