The population under study in the South African longitudinal study of urban children and their families, 'Birth to Ten' (BTT), comprised all births during a 7-week period from April to June 1990 in Soweto-Johannesburg. Specification of the population base for the cohort was hampered by a number of flaws in the notification and record-keeping systems of the local authorities. As far as could be ascertained, 5460 singleton births occurred during this time to women who gave a permanent address within the defined region. Enrolment into BTT took place over the first 15 months of the study and covered the antenatal, delivery, 6-month and 1-year periods. By the end of this time, and despite a major health service strike during the delivery phase, 74% of all births (4029 cases) had been enrolled into the study. There were marked variations in levels of enrolment, however, by population group membership, residential area and place of delivery. In general, there was substantial under-enrolment of largely middle-class white women and their babies. Initial non-enrolment of specific segments of the population and attrition of the enrolled sample up to the end of the first year are discussed in the context of racial and social differentiation in South Africa.

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The long-term effects of kwashiorkor on the electroencephalogram were assessed by means of computer analysis techniques. The experimental group, consisting of 30 black children, 6 to 12 years old, hospitalized for the treatment of kwashiorkor during the first 27 months of life, was age-matched with three control groups. These were a group of siblings and of yardmates, neither of whom had been exposed to acute infantile malnutrition, and a very high socioeconomic group of white children. The results revealed significantly less alpha activity and more slow-wave activity in the electroencephalogram of the kwashiokor group than in those of the control groups. These findings confirmed previous results based on visual analysis procedures.

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The effects of six graded and measured exercise activities on sleep patterns were investigated in two healthy young men. Electrophysiological recording were made continuously throughout the night to distinguish sleep states. This experiment was designed to test the hypothesis of a relation between physical activity and slow-wave sleep (SWS: stages 3 and 4 of non-REM sleep). A progressive increase in SWS over the whole-night sleep record was found with progressively increasing physical fatigue. A fall in rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep and at higher exercise levels, of stage 2 sleep, was found. The results support the hypothesis that SWS is involved in the recovery process from fatigue.

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Human figure drawings done by 415 urban black children were compared with the figures of people drawn by children in 1938 and 1950. Though children from five to eight years of age showed no change in performance over the 50-year time-span, there was a significant improvement in the Goodenough scores obtained by contemporary children of school age in comparison with the historical samples. Whilst it is feasible that betterment of the wider social milieu of black people in South Africa may be associated with these changes, no significant relationships between Draw-a-Man scores and socio-economic status could be demonstrated for the older children in the 1988 sample. For this group, test performance showed some relationship with scholastic achievement. The Draw-a-Man test appears to have some validity as a general cognitive measure amongst local black children between the ages of five and eight years. The test seems to be unsuitable for children over eight years of age because, from this age onwards, it underestimates abilities to a marked extent.Tekeninge van die menslike figuur soos deur 415 stedelike swart kinders gemaak, is met die wat deur kinders in 1938 en 1950 geteken is, vergelyk. Alhoewel kinders tussen vyf en agt jaar oud geen verandering in prestasie oor die 50 jaar-tydperk getoon het nie, is daar 'n betekenisvolle verbetering in Goodenough-tellings by hedendaagse skoolgaande kinders bevind. Terwyl hierdie verandering wei met 'n verbetering van die algemene sosiale milieu van swart mense gepaard mag gaan, kon geen betekinsvolle verwantskappe tussen die tekeningtellings en sosio-ekonomiese status vir die ouer kinders in die 1988-steekproef aangedui word nie. Vir hierdie groep het die tekeningtoetsresultate egter 'n verwantskap met skolastiese prestasie getoon. Die 'Draw-a-Man'-toets blyk geldig te wees as 'n alqernene kognitiewe meting onder plaaslike swart kinders tussen vyf en agt jaar. Dit wil egter voorkom of die toets nie vir hierdie doel vir kinders ouer as agt jaar geskik is nie aangesien dit hulle verrnoens heelwat onderskat.