Abstracts A85

We classified dyslexias in dysphonetic, dyseidetic and mixed types according to oral reading, error pattern, silent comprehension measurement, irregular word reading and non-word reading. Whatever the type of dyslexia, we found 75% of the studied patients had an associated language anomaly: naming trouble and QIP 15 points greater than QIV.

180 A frequency of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in a primary school in Slavonski Brod, Croatia and the results of 2 years’ treatment S PITLOVl6, R COHA, i RUBIL, D FAJDETIk, Z ERES General Hospital ‘Dr J Ben~evi% Slavonski Brod, Croatia

The purpose of the study was to determine the frequency and the possible causes of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a primary school in Slavonski Brod using a questionnaire for teachers and pupils of primary school grades 14, (n 419).

Methods: The questionnaire was based on the ADHD diagnostic criteria of the American Psychiatric Associa- tion, DSM-IV, 1994. From those who satisfied the criteria, the detailed family, perinatal and social history were taken; complete neurological examination was made plus psychological examination, EEG recording and other necessary tests.

Restllts: Of the 7.39% children who satisfied the criteria for ADHD two-thirds were boys. Hyperactive-impulsive type behaviour was found in 12 children (38.7%); attention deficit in seven (22.58%), and combined type in 12 (38.7%). Frequency of ADHD was 3.7% in the 1st grades, 9% in the 2nd, 8.41% in the 3rd and 7.5% in the 4th. Positive family history of ADHD was found in 38.7% pupils and perinatal risk factors in 35.48%. The symp- toms had started before the age of 7 years in 74.2% pupils. Other neurodevelopmental disorders and changes in neurological status were found in 12.9% pupils. A total of 19.35% children live in an incomplete family and only 12.9% were breastfed more than 6 months. Failure at school was not found in our children and five of them achieved an excellent success, four of them very good and 12 good success at school. Inadequate school or home behaviour showed in 93.55% children, 13.8% at home, 37.9% at school and 48.28% at home and at school.

Conclusion: ADHD was found most frequently in boys, and in children with positive family history of ADHD. In almost all pupils the symptoms were present before the age of 7 years and caused significant difficulties in school and/or home behaviour. The children with ADHD should be frequently followed up so that adequate medical and psychotherapeutic treatment could start in time to prevent dysfunctioning in school and/or home. After 2 years of psychotherapeutic treatment (individuals and whole family), and education of teachers and parents, difficulties were decreased in 60% of children and disappeared in 20%.

407 Therapeutic perspectives in dyslexia P TALLAL Center for Molecular and Behavioral Neuroscience, Rutgers University, New Jersey, USA

The timing cues present in the acoustic waveform of speech provide critical information for the recognition and segmentation of the ongoing speech signal. Over the past two decades, research has demonstrated that constraints in the processing rate, that have been shown to specifically disrupt acoustic processing of speech, are related to the phenotype of two develop- mental disorders: specific language impairments and specific reading impairments. In these syndromes, rate- processing constraints appear to be related to the phonological discrimination deficits of children with language impairments and to the higher level of phonological processing deficits present in developmen- tal dyslexia.

Electrophysiological single cell mapping studies of the sensory cortex in the brains of non-human primates have recently shown that neural circuitry can be remapped after specific, temporally cohesive, training regimens demonstrating the dynamic plasticity of the brain. These basic psychophysical and neurophysiological studies hold considerable potential for neurobiological remedia- tion.

Recently, we combined these two lines of research in a series of studies. Specifically, we addressed whether the rate-processing deficits known to characterize children with language learning impairments can be significantly modified through adaptive training aimed at lowering temporal integration thresholds. Simultaneously, we developed a computer algorithm that expanded and enhanced the brief, rapidly changing acoustic segments within ongoing speech. A series of training exercises were designed to enhance non-verbal attention, memory, and rate-processing, as well as phonological, semantic and grammatical processing abilities. These exercises incorporated both adaptive individualized training and processed speech. Results from controlled laboratory studies demonstrated that dramatic improvements in rate-processing, phonological skills and language perfor- mance were observed after only 4 weeks of training. These controlled laboratory studies led to the develop- ment of a new training programme called Fast ForWord. Laboratory data as well as data from two large field trials evaluating the efficacy of Fast ForWord in clinics and classrooms, will be presented. The efficacy of the Fast ForWord training programme for children with a variety of diagnoses (autism, attention deficit disorder, central auditory processing disorder, learning disability) accom- panied by language learning deficits, also will be discussed.