Developmental dyscalculia in children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsies in a Brazilian sample.
Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent chronic disorders of childhood which can threaten child development and mental health. Among cognitive disorders, dyscalculia is one of the most important. In this study, 39 children and adolescents with idiopathic epilepsy underwent clinical and neuropsychological assessment to determine the intellectual level, math skills, reading and writing performance and neuropsychological profile. It was observed that the mathematical ability was below schooling expectations in a higher frequency than expected. There were no significant differences in mathematical performance among groups divided by number of antiepileptic drugs used, duration of disease and types and frequency of seizures. There was a positive correlation with intelligence quotient and attentional and reading level. These results suggest the existence not only of dyscalculia, but the concurrence of attentional and reading problems for the poor mathematical performance in this population.
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Ursula
U
Thomé
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Sandra Regina da
SR
Paixão Alves
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Sabrina Mendonça
SM
Guerreiro
Instituto de Psiquiatria, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
Célia Regina Carvalho
CR
Machado da Costa
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Fernanda de
Fd
Souza Moreira
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Andrea
A
Bandeira Lima
Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Maria Rita
MR
Ferreira Tavares
Unidade de Pesquisa Clínica, Departamento Materno Infantil, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.
Heber
H
Souza Maia Filho
D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology; D060705:Dyscalculia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000503:physiopathology; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011340:Problem Solving; D012016:Reference Values; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires