Parental report of quality of life in children with epilepsy: A Spanish/French comparison.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is a chronic neurological condition that affects the quality of life (QoL) of patients and their families. In this study, we compare two sets of reports on QoL that were completed by two samples of parents whose children have epilepsy. METHOD: Parents of children with various types of epilepsy from Spain (N = 196) and France (N = 219) completed the same QoL questionnaire. Medical variables were recorded from the referred specialist doctor for each patient. RESULTS: The factors associated with parental reports on QoL were similar in both countries. Parents of children with nonidiopathic generalized or unclassified epilepsy reported poorer QoL and the highest proportion of learning and behavioral problems. However, the intensity of difficulties varied between the two samples. CONCLUSIONS: This questionnaire made it possible to detect comorbidities and daily life difficulties in children with epilepsy and their families. The type of epilepsy had the same influence on Spanish and French families' ratings of QoL. Families shared the same comorbidities in terms of hyperactivity/attention/sociability problems. Nevertheless, the intensity of reported difficulties varied in both countries, possibly because of differences in cultural and educational environments. This aspect should be further explored in future research.

Perfil neuropsicológico de niños con dislalias: alteraciones mnésicas y atencionales / Neuropsychological profile of children with dyslalias: Memory impairment and attentional

En este estudio se pretende investigar el funcionamiento neuropsicológico de niños con dislalias. 34 niños con dislalia múltiple (distorsión o sustitución articulatoria de tres fonemas: /r/, /l/ y /s/) y exploración neurológica normal fueron comparados con 28 niños sin problemas del habla. El perfil neuropsicológico se estima mediante la Escala de Inteligencia Wechsler para Niños-Revisada (WISC-R) y la Batería Neuropsicológica Luria-DNI. Los resultados indican que los niños dislálicos presentan: a) un perfil amnésico globalmente deteriorado respecto al grupo de referencia aunque están preservado la memoria remota y la memoria de formas; b) alteraciones en cinestesia y estereognosia; c) problemas atencionales. Estos resultados indican que los niños dislálicos presentan problemas amnésicos y atencionales similares a los manifestados por niños con problemas de lenguaje secundarios a daño cerebral o afectaciones orgánicas o psicolingüísticas importantes. Debemos considerar este perfil neuropsicológico deteriorado en la orientación neurológica y psicoeducativa de estos niños

In this study we investigate the neuropsychological functioning of children with dyslalias. 34 children with multiple dyslalia (articulatory distortion or substitution of three phonemes: / r /, / l / and / s /) and normal neurological examination. 28 children without speech problems are used as reference group. The neuropsychological profile is estimated using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised (WISC-R) and Luria Neuropsychological Battery-DNI. We found in children with dyslalias: A) The memory profile deteriorated globally in respect to the reference group but are preserved remote memory and the memory of shapes. B) kinesthesia and estereognosia disorders. C) Attentional disorders. We found mnemonic and attentional problems in children with dyslalias similar to those children with language problems secondary to brain damage or affect organs or major psycholinguistic disorders. We consider this neuropsychological profile deteriorated in neurological and psychoeducational counseling, which would justify the treatment and neuropsychological rehabilitation of memory and attention

Entre la percepción visual de lo posible y lo imposible en pacientes con esquizofrenia / Between the visual perception of possibility or impossibility in schizophrenic patients

trabajos sobre las deficiencias de los pacientes en los procesos perceptuales. En cuanto a la percepción visual, se han realizado diversas investigaciones que relacionan tales deficiencias con los principios gestálticos. En el presente artículo se investiga la capacidad de los pacientes con esquizofrenia para discriminar la posibilidad o imposibilidad en ciertas figuras. Para ello, se utilizaron como estímulos ocho figuras con objetos posibles y ocho imposibles. La hipótesis planteada fue que los sujetos con esquizofrenia obtendrían peores resultados que los controles en la percepción de la posibilidad o imposibilidad de los objetos presentados. Se compararon 13 pacientes con esquizofrenia y 11 controles en la ejecución de la tarea de discriminación. Los resultados demuestran que los sujetos con esquizofrenia presentan, con relación a los controles, una mayor dificultad en la toma de decisión sobre la posibilidad o imposibilidad de los objetos

In the current psychophysics research about schizophrenia, the patient’s deficiencies on perceptual processes have been addressed in several works. In relation to the visual perception topic several researches have been carried out relating gestaltic principles with such deficiencies. In the present paper the capacity of schizophrenic patients to discriminate possible from impossible objects was analyzed. Eight possible and impossible figures were used as stimuli. Our hypothesis was that schizophrenic patients would perform worst that controls while perceiving the possibility or impossibility of objects. 13 schizophrenic patients and 11 controls were compared in the execution of a discrimination task. Results show that schizophrenic patients display a bigger difficulty than controls on discriminating possibility or impossibility of objects