Surface dyslexia

Two cases of surface dyslexia are described. In this disorder, irregular words such as broad or steak are less likely to be read aloud correctly than regularly-spelled words like breed or steam; and when irregular words are misread the incorrect response is often a regularisation (reading broad as “brode” and steak as “steek, for example). When reading comprehension was tested, homophones were often confused with each other: for example, soar was understood as an instrument for cutting, and route was understood as being part of a tree. Spelling was also impaired, with the majority of spelling errors being phonologically correct: for example, “search” was spelled surch. “Orthographic” errors in reading aloud (omitting, altering, adding or transposing letters) were also noted. These errors were not due to defects at elementary levels of visual processing.

One of our cases was a developmental dyslexic, and the other was an acquired dyslexic. The close similarity of their reading and spelling performance supports the view that surface dyslexia can cccur both as a developmental and as an acquired dyslexia.

A theoretical interpretation of surface dyslexia within the framework of the logogen model (including a grapheme-phoneme correspondence system for reading non-words) was offered: defects within the input logogen system, and in communication from that system to semantics, were postulated as responsible for most of the symptoms of surface dyslexia.

Behavioural management for toddlers

Introductory outlines of behavioural management for problems with toddlers. The need is noted for analysis of the whole family situation before intervention and basic behaviour modification techniques are described.

Identification of human trophoblast membrane antigens in maternal blood during pregnancy

The development of an immunoradiometric assay for the detection of human trophoblast-specific membrane antigens is described. The test revealed for the first time circulating trophoblast-specific cell membrane antigens in the peripheral blood of pregnant women, but none in non-pregnant female or male controls. Comparison of the circulating levels of these trophoblast-specific proteins between normal and pre-eclamptic blood samples showed no significant differences, thus casting doubt on the role of differential trophoblast antigen deportation in the etiology of toxaemic pregnancy. Matched retroplacental cord blood from several normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies were examined and found either negative or near the lower sensitivity limit of the assay, suggesting that deportation of trophoblast membrane antigens during gestation is limited to the maternal aspect of the placenta.

"Problem children' and stimulant drug treatment

Stimulant drugs are commonly prescribed in this country for children presenting with hyperactive, disruptive, excitable and distractible behaviour. Whilst this treatment can be beneficial for a considerable proportion of cases in the short term, it has a number of disadvantages and apparently does not improve the long-term outcome. In this paper a number of significant issues concerning drug treatment for problem children are discussed including diagnosis, drug effect parameters, and psychological factors, and alternative intervention strategies outlined.

Evidence for language recoding in autistic, retarded and normal children: a re-examination

In a replication and extension of earlier studies by Hermelin & O'Connor, language recoding abilities in autistic, retarded and normal children matched for mental age and digit span, were compared in a verbal recall task. Random word lists, sentences, and anomalous sentences, eight or 12 items in length (for high and low memory span subgroups) were presented and the number of words recalled from each type of input was scored. All low span children recalled sentences better than random lists with normal children superior to retarded and autistic children and the latter group poorer than the retarded group. Autistic children showed a recency effect with both types of input. There were no group differences amongst high span children and sentences were again better recalled than random lists. In Expt II sentences were better recalled than anomalous sentences, with autistic and retarded children equivalent in performance and poorer than normal children. Although low span autistic children were clearly deficient in recall of sentence material when compared with the two control groups, the effect of conditions showed that they were able to use structure to improve recall. Since high span autistic children did not perform differently from controls it is suggested that results from this kind of study may not be generalizable, and that claims for a specific coding deficit in autistic children need further substantiation.

Iron and blood donation. Evaluation of a kit method for routine use in a blood transfusion service

Manifest iron-deficiency anaemia is preceded by a latent stage in which normal haemoglobin levels coexist with low serum iron levels. Regular blood donation involves the removal of significant amounts of iron, and in susceptible donors, may aggravate iron deficiency. It is important for a blood transfusion service to be able to identify these susceptible donors. A commercial kit for the determination of serum iron levels was evaluated and found suitable for introduction as a routine screening test for a transfusion service. A survey of serum iron levels of 200 blood donors showed that 12 1/2% had levels below the normal reference range.

Survey of antibiotic residues in Canadian slaughter animals

Kidneys and urine of cattle, swine, sheep and chickens were tested for bacterial growth inhibitors using Bacillus subtilis and Sarcina lutea as test organisms. Results were as follows: 211 beef kidneys four positive, 611 swine kidneys five positive, 27 sheep and 120 chicken kidneys all negative, 2108 beef urine 76 positive, 2409 swine urine 186 positive, 176 sheep urine 17 positive. Strongest reactions were obtained with B. subtilis on phosphate buffered pH 6.0 plates. Larger zones were produced by urine from injected animals than by tissue samples.

Kanner's syndrome or early-onset psychosis: a taxonomic analysis of 142 cases

Case history data on 142 psychotic children were obtained using the Rimland Diagnostic Check List. A particular variety of the method known as numerical taxonomy was used to classify the children into subgroups on the basis of responses on the Check List. A comparison was made between a classification of Kanner's syndrome vs. "no Kanner's syndrome" and a classification using random classes as starting points. The "best" classification of the data was one in which 2 classes were obtained, one containing all the Kanner's syndrome children plus other early-onset, nonrelating psychotic children and the other containing children with later onset and more varied symptoms. Those attributes which significantly differentiated between the classes both in the "best" classification and in the Kanner's syndrome classification were extracted. A distinction between Kanner children and other similar children was found only for 3 specific behaviors: obsessive desire for sameness, islets of special ability, and skillful manipulation of small objects.