Lesser Known Disorders
Each issue of this series contains at least three lesser known disorders. Some of these disorders may contain subtypes which will also be presented. You will also notice that each disorder has a code. These codes represent the coding system for all disabilities and disorders listed in the Educator’s Diagnostic Manual(EDM) Wiley Publications.
LD 3.00-Dysgraphia
Disability Category – Specific Learning Disabilities
Definition
Dysgraphia is the learning disability associated with writing. It is a term that refers to a partial inability to remember how to make certain alphabet or arithmetic symbols in handwriting (Meese, 2001).Students’ handwriting problems can arise from their lack of fine-motor coordination, failure to attend to task, inability to perceive and/or remember visual images accurately or inadequate handwriting instruction in the classroom (Friend & Bursuck, 2002; cited in Turnbull et al., 2004).
Diagnostic Symptoms
Diagnostic symptoms of Dystrophic include (Learning Disabilities Association of Halton, 2004; International Dyslexia Association, 2004)
1.) Generally illegible writing (despite appropriate time and attention given the task)
2.) Inconsistencies: mixtures of print and cursive, upper and lowercase, or irregular sizes, shapes, or slant of letters
3.) Unfinished words or letters, omitted words
4.) Inconsistent position on page with respect to lines and margins.
5.) Inconsistent spaces between words and letters
6.) Cramped or unusual grip, especially:
- Holding the writing instrument very close to the paper
- Holding thumb over two fingers and writing from the wrist
7.) Strange wrist, body, or paper position
8.) Talking to self while writing, or carefully watching the hand that is writing
9.) Slow or labored copying or writing – even if it is neat and legible
10.) Content which does not reflect the student’s other language skills
11.) Combination of fine-motor difficulty, inability to re-visualize letters, and inability to remember the motor patterns
Further Key Points
Many students struggle to produce neat, expressive written work, whether or not they have accompanying physical or cognitive difficulties. They may learn much less from an assignment because they must focus on writing mechanics instead of content. After spending more time on an assignment than their peers, these students understand the material less. Not surprisingly, belief in their ability to learn suffers. When the writing task is the primary barrier to learning or demonstrating knowledge, then accommodations, modifications, and remediation for these problems may be in order Jones, n.d., LDOnline, 2005).
MR 1.06-Turner Syndrome
Disability Category – Mental Retardation
Definition
Turner syndrome, originally named after Dr. Henry Turner, who was among the first to describe its features in the 1930’s, is a chromosomal condition that exclusively affects girls and women. It occurs when one of the two X chromosomes normally found in females is missing or incomplete.
Turner syndrome affects approximately 1 out of every 2,500 female live births worldwide. It embraces a broad spectrum of features, from major heart defects to minor cosmetic issues. Some individuals with Turner syndrome may have only a few features, while others may have many. Almost all people with Turner syndrome have short stature and loss of ovarian function, but the severity of these problems varies considerably amongst individuals.
Individuals with Turner syndrome may have a short neck with a webbed appearance, a low hairline at the back of the neck, and low-set ears. Hands and feet of affected individuals may be swollen or puffy at birth, and often have soft nails that turn upward at the ends when they are older. All these features appear to be due to obstruction of the lymphatic system during fetal development. Another characteristic cosmetic feature is the presence of multiple pigmented nevi, which are colored spots on the skin.
Almost all individuals with Turner syndrome have short stature. This is partially due to the loss of action SHOX gene on the X-chromosome. This particular gene is important for long bone growth. The loss of SHOX may also explain some of the skeletal features found in Turner syndrome, such as short fingers and toes, and irregular rotations of the wrist and elbow joints. Linear growth is attenuated in utero, and statural growth lags during childhood and adolescence, resulting in adult heights of 143-145 cm (approximately 4 feet 8 inches). Final adult height in Turner syndrome can be increased by a few inches if growth hormone (GH) treatment is given relatively early in childhood. However, not all individuals with Turner syndrome get a good growth response to GH.
Further Key Points
Unknown genes on the X-chromosome regulate the development and functions of the ovary. Most individuals with Turner syndrome experience loss of ovarian function early in childhood, and thus do not enter puberty at the normal age.
Some teenagers may undergo some breast development and begin menstruating, but cease further development and menses during the later teen years. A few women with Turner syndrome have apparently normal ovarian function with regular menses until the mid-20s before ovarian failure occurs. A few spontaneous pregnancies have been reported (National Institute of Health, 2004).
SL 6.06-Landau-Kleffner Syndrome
(also known as Infantile Acquired Aphasia, Acquired Epileptic Aphasia, or Aphasia with Compulsive Disorder)
Disability Category – Speech and Language Impaired
Definition
Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS) is a childhood disorder. A major feature of LKS is the gradual or sudden loss of the ability to understand and use spoken language. All children with LKS have abnormal electrical brain waves that can be documented by an electroencephalogram (EEG), a recording of the electric activity of the brain. Approximately 80 percent of the children with LKS have one or more epileptic seizures that usually occur at night. Behavioral disorders such as hyperactivity, aggressiveness and depression can also accompany this disorder. LKS may also be called infantile acquired aphasia, acquired epileptic aphasia or aphasia with convulsive disorder. This syndrome was first described in 1957 by Dr. William M. Landau and Dr. Frank R. Kleffner, who identified six children with the disorder.
Further Key Points
LKS occurs most frequently in normally developing children who are between 3 and 7 years of age. For no apparent reason, these children begin having trouble understanding what is said to them. Doctors often refer to this problem as auditory agnosia or “word deafness.” The auditory agnosia may occur slowly or very quickly. Parents often think that the child is developing a hearing problem or has become suddenly deaf. Hearing tests, however, show normal hearing. Children may also appear to be autistic or developmentally delayed.
The inability to understand language eventually affects the child’s spoken language which may progress to a complete loss of the ability to speak (mutism). Children who have learned to read and write before the onset of auditory agnosia can often continue communicating through written language. Some children develop a type of gestural communication or sign-like language. The communication problems may lead to behavioral or psychological problems. Intelligence usually appears to be unaffected.
The loss of language may be preceded by an epileptic seizure that usually occurs at night. At some time, 80 percent of children with LKS have one or more seizures. The seizures usually stop by the time the child becomes a teenager. All LKS children have abnormal electrical brain activity on both the right and left sides of their brains.
The cause of LKS is unknown. Some experts think there is more than one cause for this disorder. All of the children with LKS appear to be perfectly normal until their first seizure or the start of language problems. There have been no reports of children who have a family history of LKS. Therefore, LKS is not likely to be an inherited disorder.
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