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We examined whether inclusive classroom norms predicted children's reasoning and expectations about the inclusion of peers with learning difficulties from different perspectives (i.e., self, friends, and unfamiliar story protagonist). Swiss elementary school children (N = 1019; 51% girls; M age = 10.20 years; Grades 3–6) shared their perceptions of inclusive classroom norms and answered questions regarding the inclusion of a character with learning difficulties in an academic scenario. Multilevel analyses revealed that children expected less inclusion from their friends (estimated OR = 0.14, p <.001) or the unfamiliar story protagonist (estimated OR = 0.15, p <.001) than from themselves. Inclusive classroom norms positively predicted children's own (estimated OR = 3.17, p =.041) and their friends' inclusion expectations (estimated OR = 4.59, p =.007). Moreover, individuals who perceived higher inclusive norms than the classroom average were less concerned that the inclusion of the child with learning difficulties would threaten successful group functioning (γ = − 0.19, p =.011). To target the inclusion of children with learning difficulties, school psychologists can heighten classmates' perceptions of inclusive norms and pay attention to individual differences in norm perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We studied the global precedence effect in primary school children with and without developmental dyslexia, using a compound figures task with familiar (Latin) or unfamiliar (Hebrew) letters. The two components of the global precedence effect were considered separately: global advantage (faster processing of global than local letters) and asymmetric interference (global distracters interfere with local targets but not vice versa). Both groups of children showed a global advantage with familiar as well as with unfamiliar letters. Children without developmental dyslexia showed asymmetric interference on familiar letters, but not on unfamiliar ones. Children with developmental dyslexia showed no asymmetric interference, neither for familiar letters nor for unfamiliar ones. The results distinguish between alternative hypothesis regarding the roles of familiarity and visual processing strategies in the compound figures task. Consequences for understanding literacy acquisition and developmental dyslexia are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The aim of this study was to describe the perceptions of nurse preceptors of nursing students and new graduate nurses with learning disabilities in clinical settings. Learning disabilities pose potential challenges in nursing education, especially in clinical settings when working with preceptors. Preceptors (N = 166) who attended a state-wide preceptor workshop responded to an electronic survey that assessed their perceptions. Four concepts were explored: preceptor perceived level of preparedness; preceptor perceived confidence in implementation of their role; preceptor beliefs regarding the potential of learners with learning disabilities; and preceptor agreement with provision of accommodations for learners with learning disabilities. Preceptors felt unprepared and lacked confidence in their ability to implement their role as preceptor for those with learning disabilities. Those who had exposure to learning disabilities reported feeling more prepared, however they had expectations for the learner to work hard, have strategies and accommodations in place, ask for help when needed, and take responsibility for their learning. Preceptors reported they are willing to precept nurses with learning disabilities, and they expect support for those with learning disabilities. Educational modules and support to increase preceptor preparedness and confidence should be incorporated into preceptor training. Highlights • It is unknown if clinical environments are prepared to support trainees with learning disabilities in clinical settings. • Nurse preceptors lack experience and knowledge to support those with learning disabilities in clinical settings. • Nurse preceptors are unprepared and lack confidence to work with students and new graduates with learning disabilities. • Nurse preceptors believe in the potential for success of students and new graduates with learning disabilities. • Nurse preceptors favor the use of accommodations as needed in the clinical setting. • Nurse preceptors are willing to work with students and new graduates with learning disabilities in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Schools of Nursing have witnessed an increase in the number of nursing students who struggle with learning difficulties. Support and accommodations are available in academic settings. Because nursing is a practice profession students also learn in clinical settings, which may not have similar support and accommodations. The compatibility of the clinical setting for the education of students with learning difficulties has not been studied. Staff nurses responsible for the clinical education of students and new nurses receive little preparation for their role as educator, and may not feel supported to meet the needs of those with learning difficulties. This is part one in a series of articles about the clinical education of nursing students with learning difficulties. This paper provides a framework and literature review for the development of a study (part 2) exploring the issue from the perspective of the nurse preceptors who educate students and new graduates with learning difficulties. Highlights • There is an increase in the number of students in school of nursing with learning difficulties. • The literature on nursing students with learning difficulties can be understood from the perspectives of nursing schools, faculty, and students. • Nurse educators have a role in preparing the learning environments for students with learning difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Students with special educational needs (SEN) remain one of the most socially excluded and vulnerable groups. To this extent, negative attitudes and stereotypes may impede their inclusion. Theoretical frameworks have suggested that stereotypes and attitudes elicit differential expectations and judgments, which in turn affect (social) behaviors.Aims: In this study, we aimed to investigate the stereotypes and implicit attitudes held by a sample of Luxemburgish adults toward students with learning difficulties and challenging behavior. We also explored the adults' explicit attitudes towards inclusion.Method and Procedures: Participants (N = 103) completed an evaluative priming task and rated students on the stereotype dimensions of warmth and competence. In addition, they completed the German version of The Opinions Relative to Integration of Students with Disabilities questionnaire and provided demographic information.Outcomes and Results: Results showed differential stereotype content with respect to students with learning difficulties and challenging behavior. Results further indicated that participants' implicit attitudes toward both challenging behavior and learning difficulties were negative. By contrast, participants expressed positive attitudes towards inclusion.Conclusions and Implications: The results of the current study contribute to the understanding of why some people accept, whereas others reject students with SEN. Understanding prevalent stereotypes and attitudes can inform the development of targeted interventions to promote and facilitate the social inclusion of students with SEN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) symptoms may confer risk for academic impairment in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We investigated SCT in relation to academic performance and impairment in 252 children (ages 6–12, 67% boys) with ADHD. Parents and teachers completed SCT and academic impairment ratings, and achievement in reading, math, and spelling was assessed. Simultaneous regressions controlling for IQ, ADHD, and comorbidities were conducted. Total SCT predicted parent-rated impairments in writing, mathematics, and overall school but not reading. Parent-rated SCT Slow predicted poorer reading and spelling, but not math achievement. Teacher-rated SCT Slow predicted poorer spelling and math, but not reading achievement. Parent-rated SCT Slow predicted greater academic impairment ratings across all domains, whereas teacher-rated SCT Slow predicted greater impairment in writing only. Age and gender did not moderate these relationships with the exception of math impairment; SCT slow predicted math impairment for younger but not older children. Parent and teacher SCT Sleepy and Daydreamy ratings were not significant predictors. SCT Slow appears to be uniquely related to academic problems in ADHD, and may be important to assess and potentially target in intervention. More work is needed to better understand the nature of SCT Slow symptoms in relation to inattention and amotivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood developmental disorders and related problems such as learning disabilities and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) account for a growing burden on the family, education and health care systems. Exposure to environmental chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates may play a role in the development of child behavioral problems. Using cross-sectional data from Cycle 1 of the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS), we examined the potential association between urinary concentrations of BPA and various phthalate metabolites and child learning and behavioral problems, considering important covariates such as gender, blood lead and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) outcomes of interest were emotional symptoms, hyperactivity/inattention, and a total difficulties score with borderline and abnormal scores grouped together and compared with children with normal scores. Other outcomes studied included any reported learning disability, a subset of learning disabilities reported as ADD/ADHD (attention deficit disorder) and use of psychotropic medications in the past month. Among children ages 6–11 years, the prevalences of any learning disability, ADD, and ADHD were 8.7%, 1.5% and 2.8%, respectively. Estimated prevalences for SDQ hyperactivity/inattention, emotional symptoms and total difficulties scores were 16.9%, 15.0%, and 13.0%, respectively. Child’s urinary BPA was associated with taking psychotropic medications (OR 1.59; 95% CI 1.05–2.40). Urinary MBzP concentration was significantly associated with emotional symptoms in girls (OR 1.38 95% CI 1.09–1.75) but not in boys (OR 1.05 95% CI 0.82–1.36).) Blood lead was significantly associated with several of the outcomes examined, with a significant interaction observed between prenatal smoking and blood lead for the total difficulties score (OR = 10.57; 95% CI 2.81–39.69 vs. OR = 1.98; 95% CI 1.41–2.79 if mother did not smoke during pregnancy). Although limited by the cross-sectional nature of the study which precludes examining causation, the results suggest that although some indicators of child behavior were significantly associated with their urinary BPA and phthalate concentrations, the major chemical associated with adverse behavioral indicators was lead. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Findings from studies investigating early childhood episodes of otitis media (OM) and developmental outcomes are inconclusive. This may in part be because large-scale prospective studies controlling for relevant confounding factors are sparse. The present study investigates associations between OM in early childhood and later behavioural and learning difficulties controlling for relevant confounding factors. Methods The study applied data from the Aarhus Birth Cohort's 10–12-year-old follow-up ( N = 7578). Associations between retrospective parent-reported OM (no OM; 1–3 episodes of OM with/without tympanostomy tubes; 4+ OM episodes without tympanostomy tubes and; 4+ OM episodes with tympanostomy tubes) one the one hand, and parent- and teacher-reported scores on the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and parent-reported academic difficulties on the other hand, were investigated. The following variables were controlled for: parental educational level, maternal and paternal school problems, parental post-natal smoking, breastfeeding, and age at which the child started walking. All analyses were stratified by gender. Results Large differences in background characteristics were observed for the group of children with 4+ OM episodes with tympanostomy tubes compared to the no OM group. After controlling for relevant confounders, negative associations were consistently observed for the group of children with 4+ episodes of OM with tympanostomy tubes compared to the group of children without OM. This was particularly so for girls. Conclusion The findings suggest an association between 4+ episodes of early OM with tympanostomy tubes and behavioural and learning difficulties later in childhood. The large inter-group differences, i.e. impact of residual and unmeasured confounding factors, may in part explain the observed associations and underline the need to include these in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical presentation with motor delay, proximal weakness, and learning difficulties raise the possibility of a dystrophinopathy, dystroglycanopathy, or myotonic dystrophy. This differential should also include the more recently described choline kinase beta-related muscular dystrophy. This condition is typically characterized by large and abnormally distributed mitochondria on muscle biopsy, which can distinguish this condition from the other muscle conditions in the differential.Methods: We present a boy with choline kinase beta mutations with relatively mild clinical manifestations, including proximal weakness, learning difficulties and elevated creatine kinase. Investigations included muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with T1 axial sequences through thigh and calves, and needle muscle biopsy of the left vastus lateralis muscle.Results: MRI showed involvement mainly of the quadriceps femoris, sartorius, and adductor magnus, with selective sparing of the gracilis, hamstrings, and adductor longus and brevis. Muscle biopsy revealed chronic dystrophic features. Oxidative stains demonstrated enlarged mitochondria accentuated peripherally or present diffusely in a few fibres giving a coarsely stippled appearance. A homozygous C.722A>G (p.Asn241Ser) mutation was detected in exon 6 of the CHKB gene.Conclusion: This selective pattern of skeletal muscle involvement might be helpful for identifying other patients with this condition, even in the absence of diagnostic muscle pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant proportion of children with learning disability will have an underlying genetic cause. The genetic aetiology of learning disability is broad and includes chromosomal abnormalities, copy number variants, single gene, mitochondrial and imprinting disorders. New genetic technologies are increasing the likelihood that a diagnosis will be made in a child with a learning disability. This provides information on prognosis and complications, thereby facilitating optimal management for the child and genetic counselling for the family. Here we provide an overview of the genetics of learning disability and a clinical approach to investigating a child with a learning disability. The clinical features and management of a number of specific genetic conditions of particular relevance to paediatricians are described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Choosing appropriate strategies and implementing them correctly to solve problems are essential parts of mathematical reasoning. In this study, we examined 214 US fourth graders' strategy choice and implementation when solving a fraction ordering task amenable to multiple strategies. The students used 12 distinct fraction comparison strategies. Of these, the rectangle model, butterfly, circle model, and common denominator strategies were used most frequently. Overall, visual strategies were more common than symbolic or verbal strategies, perhaps reflecting the emphasis on visual models in the US Common Core State Standards for Mathematics and textbooks. Students experienced a range of difficulties in implementing their chosen strategies. Only 28 % solved the focal problem correctly, and only 22 % provided both correct fraction order and correct justifications. The implications of students' strategy choice and implementation for teachers, teacher educators, and researchers are discussed. • 214 US fourth graders used 12 strategies to solve a fraction ordering task. • Students used visual (43 %), symbolic (19 %), and verbal strategies (5 %). • Students faced common difficulties for each fraction comparison strategy. • Of the 22 students who used cross multiplication, only three ordered correctly. • Some strategies (e.g., common denominators, the number line) were more accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 60.3% of students had tested positive for COVID-19, and more female than male students were affected (female, 69.7%; male, 50.7%). • There was a high prevalence of mental problems among college students, with 95.7% of the sample experiencing moderate or severe mood disorders. • Respondents' education was severely affected by the pandemic, averaging a score of 7.6 on a scale of 10 when asked how much their learning quality was affected. • These findings are alarming and timely. Given the impact would be far-reaching, not only college students' mental health but also their learning difficulties should be monitored during epidemics. Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) has posed an unprecedented public health challenge for most countries, and the repeated outbreaks of this disease have created a largest disruption of education systems. The intent of this work was to examine the intersection of COVID-19 fear and mental health consequences among college students in Northern Michigan, a region of the U.S. severely affected by the pandemic. This study was conducted from January 17 to February 25, 2022, two years later since the outbreak of the pandemic, and 151 college students (female, 76) were involved. Participants' potential psychological symptoms, anxiety, happiness, learning difficulty, and demographic information were surveyed. We have three main findings. First, 60.3% of students had tested positive for COVID-19, and more female than male students were affected (female, 69.7%; male, 50.7%). Second, there was a high prevalence of mental problems among college students, with 95.7% of the sample experiencing moderate or severe mood disorders. Third, respondents' education was severely affected by the pandemic, averaging a score of 7.6 on a scale of 10 when asked how much their learning quality was affected. They showed increased fear, stress, and decreased happiness, and these were associated with their learning quality change. Given the impact would be far-reaching, not only college students' mental health but also their learning difficulties should be monitored during the pandemic. These findings are alarming and timely, and their implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A benign prognosis has been claimed in benign familial infantile seizures (BFIS). However, few studies have assessed the long-term evolution of these patients. The objective of this study is to describe atypical courses and presentations in BFIS families with mutations in PRRT2 gene. We studied clinically affected individuals from five BFIS Spanish families. We found mutations in PRRT2 in all 5 families. A non-BFIS phenotype or an atypical BFIS course was found in 9/25 (36%) patients harbouring a PRRT2 mutation. Atypical features included neonatal onset, mild hemiparesis, learning difficulties or mental retardation, and recurrent seizures during adulthood. We also report a novel PRRT2 mutation (c.121_122delGT). In BFIS families an atypical phenotype was present in a high percentage of the patients. These findings expand the clinical spectrum of PRRT2 mutations including non-benign epileptic phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine lower secondary students' (N =1152) academic performance (reading and mathematics) and well-being (academic self-concept, perceived learning difficulties and school burnout) profiles, as well as the relations among these profiles and educational dropout. Latent profile analysis was used to identify four groups of students with distinct academic performance and well-being profiles. Students from two groups, namely the low-performance and negative academic well-being groups, were more prone to school dropout, whereas students from the high-performance and average-performance groups were less likely to abandon secondary education. Implications for research on learning difficulties are discussed, as the results demonstrate strong relations between mathematics, reading and spelling in this age group. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background and aims: Most information on the neuropsychological performance of pediatric patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is derived from selected surgical series. Non-lesional pediatric TLE patients were studied here at the population level in order to investigate the extent to which neuropsychological deficits predisposing to learning difficulties exist in this more common group. Methods: Language, memory and executive functions were measured in children aged 8–15 years with non-lesional TLE and of normal intelligence (n = 21), and their performance was compared with that of healthy age and gender-matched children (n = 21). The effects of clinical epilepsy variables on performance were examined. Results: Although neuropsychological performance did not differ between the TLE patients and the healthy controls, female gender, early onset, longer duration and abnormal interictal EEG had a negative effect on neuropsychological performance. Conclusions: Children with early-onset epilepsy should be assessed carefully for neuropsychological impairment using sufficiently broad batteries of tests in order to detect even slight deficits. Our sample size was small and these findings should be interpreted as preliminary results and need to be confirmed in larger studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Individuals with learning difficulties and delinquent behaviour. [•] The complexity of behaviour/psycho-emotional problems and learning difficulties. [•] The long-term complexity of learning difficulties with a set of individual and environmental disorders. [•] The possible early role of learning difficulties in prisoners’ school age and adolescent lives. [•] The effectiveness of appropriate multifactorial early intervention programmes at an early level. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study explores the subjective well-being (SWB) of young people aging out of public care in Israel, identifying the individual, social support and institutional characteristics of young people on the verge of leaving care that predict their SWB one year later. The results were obtained from two waves of a longitudinal study with young people who aged out from residential settings in Israel. Shortly before they left care 272 young people completed a self-administered questionnaire and 234 of them were interviewed a year later. Overall, their SWB was fairly positive. Specifically, positive relationship with the mother contributes to a better SWB, and learning difficulties reduced SWB. Gender and country of origin also showed a significant effect. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening the young people's relationships with their biological parents while in care and emphasize the need to provide additional support for those with learning difficulties. The findings also help identify sub-groups of young people in care with greater need for support both while in care and afterwards. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Transcranial electrical stimulation (TES) can improve cognitive training effects in adults. [•] TES can enhance neuroplasticity from the molecular level to the system level. [•] We discuss the usage of TES with cognitive training in atypically developing children. [•] We discuss the possible cognitive and physical side effects of TES. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Attachment is the emotional bond between children and their caregivers (parents or otherwise). Infants and young children usually have more than one selective attachment, and all of these attachment relationships, including those between children and teachers, have important effects on cognitive and social development. Secure attachment to a preschool teacher may help children to improve their preschool experience. Recent studies suggest that the adverse effect of inadequate preschool experiences can lead to skill deficiencies that mimic the effects of basic cognitive deficits. This study evaluates the relationships among attachment to preschool teachers, school readiness, and the risk for developing learning difficulties in preschoolers using three measures: the School Readiness 4-5 battery, the Precocious Identification of Learning Difficulties, and the Attachment Q Set. This study examined 152 preschoolers. The results showed that attachment to preschool teachers is related to linguistic development level, the psychomotor skills involved in school readiness, and learning difficulty risk. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: To determine the effects of an eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)–rich oil and a docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)–rich oil versus an ω-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid–rich safflower oil (control) on literacy and behavior in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a randomized controlled trial. Methods: Supplements rich in EPA, DHA, or safflower oil were randomly allocated for 4 mo to 90 Australian children 7 to 12 y old with ADHD symptoms higher than the 90th percentile on the Conners Rating Scales. The effect of supplementation on cognition, literacy, and parent-rated behavior was assessed by linear mixed modeling. Pearson correlations determined associations between the changes in outcome measurements and the erythrocyte fatty acid content (percentage of total) from baseline to 4 mo. Results: There were no significant differences between the supplement groups in the primary outcomes after 4 mo. However, the erythrocyte fatty acid profiles indicated that an increased proportion of DHA was associated with improved word reading (r = 0.394) and lower parent ratings of oppositional behavior (r = 0.392). These effects were more evident in a subgroup of 17 children with learning difficulties: an increased erythrocyte DHA was associated with improved word reading (r = 0.683), improved spelling (r = 0.556), an improved ability to divide attention (r = 0.676), and lower parent ratings of oppositional behavior (r = 0.777), hyperactivity (r = 0.702), restlessness (r = 0.705), and overall ADHD symptoms (r = 0.665). Conclusion: Increases in erythrocyte ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, specifically DHA, may improve literacy and behavior in children with ADHD. The greatest benefit may be observed in children who have comorbid learning difficulties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: With the target of China''s higher education progressing from elite to ordinary students, an increasing number of college students are now faced with learning difficulties on campus, among which telecommunication majors take up a considerable proportion due to the characteristics of their learning subjects. This paper defines learning difficulties of telecommunication majors as learning problems arising from students who are intelligently normal but relatively inefficient in academic progress therefore unable to adjust to the basic learning requirements for telecommunication. In order to enhance the guidance and instruction to telecommunication majors with learning difficulties and to help them overcome difficulties and improve their learning, the author focuses on learning difficulties of telecommunication majors as a research program and puts forward effective learning guidance and conversion strategies accordingly. The research takes junior and senior students who study Principle of Communication as the research subject to dig out factors causing learning difficulties and proposes solutions and learning plans to improve learning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: 15q11.2 microdeletion has been suggested as a new microdeletion syndrome and several patients have been described in the literature. We report seven new patients belonging to six families, age 9–24 years old, with a 350 kb 15q11.2 deletion of the four highly conserved genes (TUBGCP5, NIPA1, NIPA2 and CYFIP1) earlier reported. All our patients had some degree of learning difficulties, delayed development and/or behavioural problems. Common dysmorphic features and congenital malformations were not characteristics of our patients. The deletion was inherited from a mildly affected parent in all cases tested (5/6 families available for testing both parents). These seven new cases confirm some of the features earlier reported to be associated with 15q11.2 deletion, and help to further delineate the phenotype associated with 15q11.2 deletion. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present research was aimed at investigating recognition memory and recollective experience for a text in adolescents with and without learning difficulties. Adolescents (age 15 to 19) with learning difficulties were selected based on their performance on a standardized test for text comprehension and on the teachers'' evaluations of their school achievement. In a recognition memory paradigm for text, “poor learners”, compared to a control group, were less able to recognize whether target sentences appeared in a previously heard narrative, thus producing fewer hits and more false alarms. Further, “poor learners” were less likely to associate Remember judgments to the target sentences, whereas both groups associated a similar level of Familiar responses to the old items. These results show that students with learning difficulties have a less subjectively compelling memory experience related to a complex text. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Introduction: Learning difficulties are frequently associated with various psychopathological conditions. The nature of this association is not clear, psychopathology being possibly considered as a cause or as a consequence of school failure. Methodology: In this cross-sectional study, a population of 287 children belonging to 1st and 3rd grades of elementary school were identified as facing school difficulties through standardized records by teachers and school physicians. One hundred and eighty of them underwent a comprehensive assessment including neurological, psychiatric, and cognitive and language evaluations. Psychiatric evaluation consisted in a semi-structured interview referring to DSM IV and using the Mini-International-Neuropsychological-Interview (MINI-kid). Results: In 31% of cases, there were no mental disorders. For the remaining students, most prevalent mental disorders were current or former language disorders (apart from mental retardation): 22%, anxiety disorders: 19%, elimination disorders: 16%, attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder: 11%, adjustment disorders: 10%, parasomnias: 3%, depression: 1.8%, simple tics: 3%. Conclusion: This high comorbidity deserves further investigation to clarify possible causality and needs to be taken into consideration through a systematic investigation of mental disorders with students in situation of school failure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Children''s symbolic number sense was examined at the beginning of first grade with a short screen of competencies related to counting, number knowledge, and arithmetic operations. Conventional mathematics achievement was then assessed at the end of both first and third grades. Controlling for age and cognitive abilities (i.e., language, spatial, and memory), number sense made a unique and meaningful contribution to the variance in mathematics achievement at both first and third grades. Furthermore, the strength of the predictions did not weaken over time. Number sense was most strongly related to the ability to solve applied mathematics problems presented in various contexts. The number sense screen taps important intermediate skills that should be considered in the development of early mathematics assessments and interventions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objectives: Down Syndrome (DS) is associated with a high incidence of hearing loss. The majority of hearing loss is conductive, but between 4 and 20% is sensorineural, which in the main is mild or moderate and is managed with conventional behind-the-ear hearing aids. Cochlear implantation is an elective invasive procedure, performed to provide some form of hearing rehabilitation in individuals with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss, and initially candidacy criteria were strict—excluding patients with additional disabilities. With good results and expanding experience, more candidates with additional disabilities are now being implanted. A survey of UK and Ireland Cochlear Implant Programmes sought to identify the number of individuals with DS who have been implanted with a cochlear implant (CI) and to provide relevant information on outcomes of implantation in these individuals. Methods: E-mail survey of all programmes within the British Cochlear Implant Group (BCIG). Postal questionnaire to programmes identified to have implanted a child with Down Syndrome, with data collection on pre-operative assessment, surgical and post-operative outcomes. Case series review. Results: Three of 23 BCIG programmes have implanted a child with Down Syndrome. Four children have received implants. No intraoperative or post-operative surgical complications were encountered. All children had middle ear disease, but no problems with implantation were associated with their middle ear condition. All children remain implant users, 12 months to 4 years post-implantation. Conclusion: Cochlear implantation is an option for a child with Down Syndrome and associated severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss. Clinicians caring for these children and their families should consider referral for assessment by a Cochlear Implant Programme. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aim of the present longitudinal study was to investigate factors contributing to mothers'' and fathers'' teaching of reading and mathematics to their children during kindergarten and Grade 1. It was assumed that mothers'' and fathers'' teaching during kindergarten would be influenced by their socioeconomic status and their own learning difficulties, whereas during Grade 1 by their children''s academic performance. A total of 189 mothers and 165 fathers filled in questionnaires regarding their teaching of reading and mathematics twice, once in kindergarten and once in Grade 1. Children''s reading and mathematics performance was also examined twice, once in kindergarten and once in Grade 1. The results showed that the lower the socioeconomic status of mothers and fathers, the more teaching of reading and mathematics they reported. Moreover, the lower the children''s academic performance in reading and mathematics in the beginning of Grade 1, the more teaching by mothers and fathers reported later on. Overall, the results suggest that mothers and fathers adjust their teaching to the actual skill level of their children when their children enter primary school. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Intelligence is a life-long trait that exerts powerful influences on educational success, occupational status, use of health services, life style and recreational choices. Until recently, the influence of cognitive performance on time to death was thought largely to be based on failing cognition in the time immediately before death or because lower mental ability was associated with low socioeconomic status and socioeconomic disadvantage. Children who were systematically IQ tested early in the twentieth century have now completed most of their life expectancy and permit evaluation of a possible link between childhood IQ and survival. This link is discussed as it affects people with intellectual disability and as a possible contributor to the acquisition of a healthy life style or use of health services. Studies on the topic are affected by many methodological pitfalls. Recently, as cohorts IQ tested as adolescents have completed middle age, new relevant data have become available. These suggest that earlier attempts to tease out the confounding effects of socioeconomic status on the relationship between childhood IQ and mortality did not take account of the full effects of childhood adversity on IQ and disease risk. When statistical models that include childhood adversity are tested, these attenuate and sometimes remove the contribution of IQ to morbidity and premature death. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This article is based on the negotiated meanings of ‘teaching’ and learning'' in prisons. It is informed by the peripheral experiences of prisoners and the legitimate peripheral participation of their teachers. It was found that teachers and students are interdependent and feel equally marginalized. The positions occupied by teachers make legitimate peripheral participation () possible though it is restricted within limits imposed by their place of work. The research, based on in-depth interviews of four teachers explores the challenges facing both teachers and their students. Concerns about prisoners'' dignity, their human rights, entitlement to education and recognition of their learning difficulties are voiced against a culture of acquiescence and unquestioning obedience demanded by the prison regime outside the education classes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper will explore the ways in which mothers of children with learning difficulties account for their children''s behaviour when they are in public places. Children with learning difficulties may demonstrate unconventional behaviour without having any apparent sign of impairment. This may lead others, unfamiliar with the children, to make inappropriate judgements about both the children and their mothers. An exploration of the ways in which mothers account for their children''s behaviour illustrates both the ways in which the mothers make sense of their children''s learning difficulties and how they attempt to facilitate their children''s participation in social life in public places. This paper draws upon the findings of a qualitative research project involving 18 mothers of children with moderate to severe learning difficulties. I begin by presenting a brief overview of the contextual and theoretical framework for the analysis focusing upon public places and disability. This section includes a discussion about the sociological concept of accounts and account making. The next section discusses the methods used in the study and this is followed by a section presenting the research findings. Finally, a discussion of these findings highlights how mothers shift in their approach to accounting for their children''s behaviour over time and I conclude by suggesting that the exploration of the use of accounts in public places is a useful tool for highlighting changes in perceptions of disability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A large body of research indicates that children born very preterm are at increased risk for neurobehavioral impairments; however, research examining outcome for extremely preterm (EP) children is limited. This chapter will review the literature focusing on early development delay, general intellectual functioning, specific cognitive skills, basic educational skills, and behavioral and emotional functioning in children born <26 weeks’ gestation or with a birth weight <750 g. Findings are generally consistent and indicate that a large proportion of EP children and their families will face major challenges, including significant development delay, cognitive impairments, learning disabilities, and behavioral and emotional problems. However, a considerable proportion of these high-risk children will escape major impairments, and this variability in outcome is thought to be related to genetic (gender), perinatal (brain injury, bronchopulmonary dysplasia), and social–environmental (social risk, parenting) factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Today''s research into mental conditions and disorders such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia appears to be focused on identifying dysfunctions. Given the slow speed at which neurons fire and connectivity challenges between different parts of the brain, there is another possibility: capacity bottlenecks. Capacity bottlenecks are a common phenomenon. For an architect, avoiding bottlenecks is a fundamental requirement for the whole to function flawlessly – whether one is designing a skyscraper, a new airport, a highway or a computer. Small disturbances can create bottlenecks in a system that works well otherwise. Next to this, it appears certain treatments for mental conditions use techniques that are the same as those used to remove capacity bottlenecks in large computers. Overall, it is hard to see why capacity bottlenecks would not play an important role in causing mental conditions and disorders. If confirmed, this possibility implies capacity management techniques should provide a strong basis for the development of new treatments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper describes the use of Real Time graphic applications as educational tools, specifically oriented to working with people who have certain learning difficulties. We first focus on identifying the most relevant traits (from a psychological point of view) of those disorders, then we continue by analysing the advantages of graphics in Real Time in this context, and how they can be used to complement the conventional teaching methods. Finally, we review the main characteristics of two applications belonging to this category, which serve as a practical example of this encounter between education and technology. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This research aims at identifying the precursors of mathematics learning at the beginning of primary school. There are few experimental studies on this topic and existing ones use between-subjects designs and correlation analysis. This paper analyses longitudinal data to investigate whether the relationship between basic abilities and mathematics learning is causally interpretable, rather than one where cognitive abilities are correlated to early mathematics learning in a cross-section design. The present study tested 170 children at the beginning and the end of first year of primary school. Linear structural relations, causally interpreted, were used to analyse the relations between cognitive abilities and mathematic achievement. The model showed that tests of working memory and counting ability are the most discriminating and efficient as precursors of early mathematics learning. In our data, phonological ability is not involved in mathematics learning ability, and in the presence of the cognitive measures included in the model, intelligence level does not directly influence mathematics capacity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Objective: To understand how the Swedish legal system perceives and handles mentally handicapped children who may have been victimized. Method: Twenty-two judicial districts in Sweden provided complete files on 39 District Court cases (including the Appeals Court files on 17 of these cases) involving children with learning difficulties or other handicaps as alleged victims of abuse, threat and neglect. The children (25 girls and 14 boys) averaged 11.8 years of age when first allegedly victimized. Sexual abuse was the most frequently alleged crime (33 cases). Court transcripts, court files and expert assessments of the alleged victims’ handicaps and their possible consequences were examined to elucidate the ways in which courts evaluated the credibility of the alleged victims. Results: The children''s reports of their victimization were expected to have the characteristics emphasized by proponents of Statement Reality Analysis (SRA) and Criterion Based Content Analysis (CBCA) in order to be deemed credible. Expert reports were seldom available or adequate. Because many reports were poorly written or prepared by experts who lacked the necessary skills, courts were left to rely on their own assumptions and knowledge when evaluating children''s capacities and credibility. Conclusions: Children with learning difficulties or other handicaps were expected to provide the same sort of reports as other children. To minimize the risk that judgments may be based on inaccurate assumptions courts need to require more thorough assessments of children''s limitations and their implications. Assessments by competent mental health professionals could inform and strengthen legal decision-making. A standardized procedure that included psycho-diagnostic instruments would allow courts to understand better the abilities, capacities, and behavior of specific handicapped children. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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This paper explores the role of complexity and simplification in the delivery of health care for adults with learning disabilities, drawing upon qualitative data obtained in a study carried out in NE England. It is argued that the requirement to manage complex health needs with limited resources causes service providers to simplify, standardise and routinise care. Simplified service models may work well enough for the majority of clients, but can impede recognition of the needs of those whose characteristics are not congruent with an adopted model. The data were analysed in relation to the core category, identified through thematic analysis, of secondary complexity arising from organisational simplification. Organisational simplification generates secondary complexity when operational routines designed to make health complexity manageable cannot accommodate the needs of non-standard service users. Associated themes, namely the social context of services, power and control, communication skills, expertise and service inclusiveness and evaluation are explored in relation to the core category. The concept of secondary complexity resulting from organisational simplification may partly explain seemingly irrational health service provider behaviour. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aim of the study was to investigate whether children''s achievement strategies would predict the development of their reading and mathematical skills during the first school year, or whether it is rather these skills that predict the changes in their achievement strategies. One-hundred and five 6- to 7-year-old children were examined three times during their first year of primary school: in each measurement, their self-reported achievement strategies were assessed, and their reading and mathematical skills were rated by their classroom teacher. Their overall cognitive competence was also measured before entry into school. The results showed that the use of maladaptive achievement strategies hampered the children''s subsequent improvement in reading and mathematical skills. By contrast, children''s skills did not have any impact on their subsequent use of achievement strategies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]