title: Assessment of an itinerant medical evaluation program for school dysfunction.
abstract: This paper describes an itinerant medical evaluation (IME) project and reports on the outcome of 108 consecutive referrals made in the first year. Subjects were of ages 5 to 17 years. Most students had been evaluated by the schools but were not receiving special education or related services. IME led to clinical diagnosis of ADHD in 70% of the sample, and specific learning disabilities were diagnosed in 26%. Several other clinically significant and educationally relevant diagnoses were made. As a result of the IME, many students were placed in special education and/or began to receive related services. At three-month follow-up, classroom accommodations were being made for 97% of the students. Teachers reported they felt more capable of teaching challenging students as a result of the IME. Significant improvements occurred in hyperactivity, conduct problems, and inattention, and grades improved in 31% of the sample. Reasons for the project's success are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Olson Huff Center for Child Development, Thoms Rehabilitation Hospital, Asheville, NC 28813-0025, USA.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Sandler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001289:Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D008297:Male; D017146:Models, Organizational; D009657:North Carolina; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*