Risk factors for visual-motor integration and intelligence in children with craniofacial anomalies.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between condition variables and child variables in children with craniofacial anomalies (CFA). Condition variables were brain anomalies, obliterated sutures, syndromic diagnosis, hypertelorism, phenotypical expression, age at craniotomy, and hospitalizations. Child variables were visual-motor integration (VMI), intelligence, and sex of subject. Setting was two university hospitals for children. Patients were 217 children with CFA, 125 boys and 92 girls, aged 5 to 16 years. Main outcome measure was the Developmental Test of VMI. Data on intelligence were obtained using different instruments, depending on the age and developmental level of the child. All IQ tests were standardized with mean 100 and standard deviation 15 or 16. Mean VMI score was 97.9 (SD = 17.1). Only 5.2% of the children scored below 70. For computing the mean IQ score, IQ scores below 50 were fixed at 0 as well as at 50. This procedure yielded a minimum mean IQ score of 94.0 (SD = 27.0) and a maximum mean IQ score of 95.8 (SD = 21.7). An IQ score below 70 was found in 14.1% of the children. A significant correlation was found between VMI and IQ score and the variables brain anomalies, syndromic diagnosis, hypertelorism, phenotypical expression, hospitalizations, and sex of subject. The majority of children with CFA (+/- 85%) score within the normal or borderline range for VMI or intelligence. Approximately 15% of the children with CFA have poor VMI skills or mental retardation. Risk factors for VMI and intelligence are the presence of brain anomalies, a syndromic diagnosis, hypertelorism, a severe phenotypical expression, a high frequency of hospitalizations, and the female sex.

An investigation of the relationship between associated congenital malformations and the mental and psychomotor development of children with clefts.

OBJECTIVE: This research studied the relationship between associated congenital malformations and the mental and psychomotor development of children with clefts. DESIGN: The study was cross-sectional. SETTING: The study was conducted in a university hospital for children. PARTICIPANTS: The sample consisted of 148 children with cleft lip, cleft palate, or both. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The children were assessed by a clinical geneticist at the age of 18 months. The children's level of development was determined by means of the Dutch version of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. RESULTS: One-third of the total sample had associated malformations. Children with an isolated cleft lip showed the least. Children with an isolated cleft palate showed the highest percentage of minor malformations that are minor yet possibly worrisome. The total group achieved a mean developmental index (DI) on the mental scale of 98.9 with SD of 20.9. The motor scale showed a mean DI of 104.9 and SD of 24.7. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that on the mental scale, the three main effects (diagnosis, evaluation, and sex) were significant at the 5% level. On the motor scale, only the main effect "evaluation" was significant. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that children with associated congenital malformations might be disadvantaged with respect to their development. These malformations occurred most frequently with the cleft lip and palate and cleft palate only subgroups. More research, especially concerning the cleft palate only subgroup is needed because they are most at risk.

Coping styles and locus of control as predictors for psychological adjustment of adolescents with a chronic illness.

This study examines the way coping styles and locus of control contribute to the prediction of psychosocial adjustment in adolescents with a chronic illness. Psychosocial adjustment of 84 adolescents aged 13-16 years with a chronic illness was assessed with measures of social adjustment, global self-esteem and behavior problems. Linear regressions were performed with demographic factors (age and gender) and stress-processing factors (coping style and locus of control) as predictor variables. Results indicated that coping styles were related to most aspects of social adjustment. The coping styles 'seeking social support' and 'confrontation' were important predictors for positive social adjustment; the coping style 'depression' was a predictor for poor adjustment, viz, low social self-esteem and high social anxiety. Avoidance and locus of control were not strongly associated with psychosocial adjustment. Clinical implications of these findings were discussed in terms of preventive interventions for adolescents with a chronic illness.