title: The integration (mainstreaming) of spina bifida children into ordinary schools.
abstract: In 1976, an aggressive policy of integrating spina bifida children into ordinary schools was mounted in Sheffield. Analysis of the school placement pattern of 1235 patients, aged 2-29 years, showed an increase from 25% to 64% integrated for children born in 1968 and 1976, respectively. However, about a half of this 39% increase was attributable to selective non-treatment. The major deterrents to integration were found to be low intelligence and wheelchair dependency. Only 4% of children with IQs below 70 were in ordinary schools. 91% of children with IQs below 45 were in mentally handicapped schools. 88% of children with IQs between 46 and 70 were in physically handicapped schools. 18% of children with wheelchairs only were integrated, and this reduced to 8% if they also had valves and were incontinent. On the other hand, neither incontinence nor valve dependency on their own were major problems with respect to ordinary schooling.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004521:Educational Measurement; D005190:Family; D006801:Humans; D012570:School Admission Criteria; D012737:Sex Factors; D012917:Social Adjustment; D016136:Spina Bifida Occulta / Q000523:psychology*; D014888:Wechsler Scales