No abstract

Forty-four elementary school children with average or above average intelligence were found to be 1–2 years behind the expected level of reading ability. They were left to proceed in their conventional education program for the next 3 years. Reassessment revealed that 23 children (52%) had attained a normal reading level. 21 (48%) children remained unchanged. They were categorized into the corrective reading disability (CRD) and specific reading disability (SRD) groups, respectively. Clinical evaluation of both groups showed that children with SRD had a significantly higher incidence of: (1) illiteracy of both parents; (2) low sociocultural standard; (3) positive family history of elementary school failure; (4) abnormal optokinetic nystagmus; (5) disturbed homolateral dominance, and (6) immature EEG tracing over the occipital area. These findings could be of value in identifying high risk children for SRD.