RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 INTELLECTUAL AND PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN WITH GALACTOSEMIA
JF Pediatrics
JO Pediatrics
FD American Academy of Pediatrics
SP 412
OP 419
VO 50
IS 3
A1 Fishler, K.
A1 Donnell, G. N.
A1 Bergren, W. R.
A1 Koch, R.
YR 1972
UL http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/50/3/412.abstract
AB This study deals with the developmental and intellectual status of 45 treated galactosemia patients, 23 females and 22 males, followed longitudinally for up to 23 years. Intellectual achievement, visual-perceptual ability, and EEG findings are analyzed. The intellectual status of the parents and unaffected siblings of the galactosemia patients are also considered. The findings indicate that the preschool age group of children show the best developmental progress by the psychometric tests used, those of school age level scoring lower, but still within the low normal range. Adult patients demonstrate better intellectual achievement than the school age children, possibly due to a compensatory process. The greatest incidence of visual-perceptual difficulties was found in the school-age group, and remedial educational programs were necessary for some of these children. In each group, emotional-social characteristics were observed which may reflect the continuing nature of dietary restriction. The overall findings indicate that early treatment results in a more favorable outcome than does a delay in initiation of dietary restriction.