Abstract
The study of 200 problem children, 100 with abnormal EEG. tracings and 100 with normal records showed:
1. There was a high correlation between abnormal EEG.s and developmental delay, poor control of impulses, poor motor co-ordination and inadequate social adaptation.
2. Relations between EEG. tracings and thumb sucking, nail biting, hearing deficit, hostility, lying, stealing, percepto-motor disturbance and hyperactivity were significant.
3. The locations of abnormal EEG. records in the temporal lobe and subcortical regions and the diffuse type stand out as the overwhelming majority compared to other locations and types of EEG. The significance of these areas in the C.N.S. integrative function and particularly in behaviour, is well established.
4. Some of the signs and symptoms may be interpreted as direct consequences of developmental immaturity in the C.N.S. (e.g. thumb sucking, poor motor co-ordination, percepto-motor co-ordination disturbance, hyperactivity etc.), while others such as inadequate social adaptation, hostility, stealing, lying are the result of poor integrative ability of a C.N.S. handicapped by dysfunction, which is minimal as revealed by EEG. record.
Four nosological groups and nine signs and symptoms were statistically significant out of ten nosological groups and sixty signs and symptoms respectively. In view of this result it could be assumed that the majority of cases are not the result of predisposed C.N.S. but possibly due to various environmental influences.