This booklet provides an overview of the causes, symptoms, and incidence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and addresses the key features of OCD, including obsessions, compulsions, realizations of senselessness, resistance, and shame and secrecy. Research findings into the causes of OCD are reviewed which indicate that the brains of…

This paper reviews the characteristics and needs of students with high functioning autism. First, it lists 18 common characteristics of autism, then it stresses that autism is defined by the general pattern of characteristics. Next, it discusses how people with high functioning autism differ from those with autism. These differences include higher…

This consensus statement on early identification of hearing impairment in infants and young children was developed by a nonadvocate, non-Federal panel of 58 experts during a 3-day meeting in 1993. The panel concluded that: (1) all infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit should be screened for hearing loss prior to discharge; (2)…

This manual describes the screening procedures used to identify infants and children in need of further diagnosis and treatment for hearing loss in Minnesota. It is intended for use by Community Health Service agencies, school health programs, Head Start agencies, and voluntary agencies, and should be used as a post-training reference. Newborn…

This newsletter article describes early identification of children who have hearing impairments in Oregon. Oregon was selected to demonstrate a model system for early identification that had been developed in Utah. A new birth certificate was designed, which enabled the Oregon Health Division to screen for risk factors for hearing loss. A…

This paper describes the process of developmental assessment of infants and young children from a parent's perspective. The artificial and arbitrary nature of most assessments is bemoaned as failing to adequately recognize children's abilities that may be readily evident to parents in more natural settings. Assessments emphasizing children's…

This fact sheet summarizes basic information on Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD), including prevalence and characteristics, causes, identification, treatment, outcomes, and suggestions. Children with ADD comprise approximately 3-5 percent of the school age population, with boys significantly outnumbering girls. Of 14 characteristics of ADD, the…

This paper provides guidelines on how to identify and work with students with attention deficit disorder (ADD). It begins by outlining common symptoms of ADD in the classroom and general principles for the incorporation of medication into school life. The paper presents features of schools successful in dealing with ADD. School-wide suggestions…

This guide is designed to help ease the educational maze in relation to attention deficit disorder (ADD) and its impact on Utah students. The guide begins with a history of ADD as a medical condition. The report then defines ADD, lists diagnostic criteria, and reviews developments in basic research concerning causes of ADD. A section on special…

Survey responses from 63 administrators of programs for hearing impaired students indicated a lack of criteria for identifying hearing impaired students with additional learning disabilities, limited resources for appropriate assessment and programming, and a lack of properly qualified teachers for this population. (Author/DB)

A review of the history and current status of screening and differential diagnosis in the field of learning disabilities concludes that continued efforts at refinements in diagnosis/classification are unproductive. The authors offer a variety of concrete recommendations from a data-based perspective to make appropriate educational experiences…

Discriminatory assessment of minority students for possible handicap is virtually inevitable when the process ignores the societal context within which the students develop and schools educate. The psychologist or special educator should be an advocate for the student, not a legitimizer of existing role relationships. (DB)

California's policies on eligibility and placement of learning and behavior disordered children are discussed regarding their impact in determining which children are served under categories of mental retardation, learning disabilities, and emotional disturbance, as defined in 94-142. Major differences in growth or decrease in numbers of children…

The Boder Test of Reading-Spelling Patterns acknowledges the complexity and importance of the reading process, and speaks of the vigorous research activity in reading; but it examines the reading process in a limited and unnatural fashion, and ignores some of the most potent research findings. (BW)

This report describes achievements and activities of the Parent Early Evaluation of Kids (PEEK) Outreach Project at the University of Oregon. This project focused on assisting state agencies, regional and tribal entities, and local health and education programs to develop comprehensive, low-cost systems for child-find and referral. Rural and inner…