Familial Patterns in Children With Neurologically Based Learning Disabilitie

Abstract

Five hundred fifty-six children with the neurological learning disability syndrome were studied. Data were collected on prenatal and perinatal difficulties, medical problems, and family history of similar learning disabilities (for mother, father, sibling or siblings). In the total study, 29.6 percent of the children had a positive family history of similar learning difficulties. The data from September 1967 to September 1969 were more complete and accurate. In this group, 39.4 percent of the children had such a positive family history. In each of the families with a positive history of learning disabilities the history suggestive of central nervous system stress was made less significant by the total family data. This stress was not a contributing factor in producing this syndrome. Even though there was a history of prenatal, perinatal, or postnatal difficulties, siblings without a history of such difficulties also had learning disabilities. This study strongly suggests that the etiologic factor with some of the children with this syndrome is an inherited central nervous system dysfunction rather than brain damage.