Impact of neurofibromatosis type 1 on school performance.
School functioning of 86 Dutch neurofibromatosis type 1 children (7-17 years) using teacher questionnaires was analyzed to determine the impact of neurofibromatosis type 1 on school performance. In all, 75% of the neurofibromatosis type 1 children performed more than 1 standard deviation below grade peers in at least one of the domains of spelling, mathematics, technical reading or comprehensive reading. Furthermore, neurofibromatosis type 1 children had a 4-fold increased risk for attending special education and a 6-fold increased risk for receiving remedial teaching for learning, behavior, speech, or motor problems. Children without apparent learning disabilities still frequently displayed neuropsychological deficits. Only 10% of the children did not show any school-functioning problems. Finally, it was found that the clinical severity of neurofibromatosis type 1 correlated with the cognitive deficits. Taken together, it was shown that neurofibromatosis type 1 has profound impact on school performance. Awareness of these problems may facilitate timely recognition and appropriate support.
Krab
Lianne C
LC
Department of General Pediatrics, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Aarsen
Femke K
FK
de Goede-Bolder
Arja
A
Catsman-Berrevoets
Coriene E
CE
Arts
Willem F
WF
Moll
Henriette A
HA
Elgersma
Ype
Y
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands; D009456:Neurofibromatosis 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012073:Remedial Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012574:Schools; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires