Special characteristics of retarded children rated as severely hyperactive

Summary

Ninety-four pairs of retarded children, in one of whom hyperactivity was rated as no problem and in the other as a severe problem, were matched for age and year of examination. The findings indicated a higher incidence of central nervous system damage and/or dysfunction in the hyperactive children than in those who were not hyperactive.

Of six cases of hemiplegia, all were in the hyperactive group as were seven of eight cases of diplegia. A significantly larger portion of the hyperactive group had a history of convulsive seizures, and significantly more had a residual speech defect.

The hyperactive children had lower social quotients than those not hyperactive, and a greater number of them were not yet completely toilet trained for both bowel and bladder control.

The hyperactive children showed a significantly higher incidence of destructiveness, of withdrawal, of assaultiveness, and of overanxiousness and fearfulness than those not hyperactive. Possible relations of these behaviors were discussed.

Severe hyperactivity affects quite unfavorably the prognosis for the behavioral adjustment of a retarded child.