Attention lapses in children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus and children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Abstract

Attentional lapses are usually defined as temporary and often brief shifts of attention away from some primary task to unrelated internal information processing. This study addressed the incidence of attention lapses and differences in attentional functioning in 30 children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 26 healthy children, and 29 children with spina bifida myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus (SBH). Assessments were conducted using computerized tonic and phasic attention tests, the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT), and the Trail Making Test Form B (TMT-B). The group with SBH differed from normal controls on cognitive measures of attention and executive functions. The ADHD group obtained lower scores than the SBH group and healthy children. ANOVA results showed that there was an effect of shunt revisions and shunt-related infections on neuropsychological performance. Lapses of attention together with reaction time may thus represent important factors for the understanding of cognitive deficits in SBH.

Current Surgical Treatment for Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction in Patients with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

“…Renal function did not appear to be significantly different after AC, and the risk of development of end-stage renal disease was rare [ 16 , 24 ]. Other long-term complications are summarized in Table 1 [ 12 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 ].…”

A scoping review of cognition in spina bifida and its consequences for activity and participation throughout life

“…The observed attentional problems in individuals with spina bifida have resulted in interest in the presence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in this group. De la Torre et al 45 compared incidence of attention lapses and attentional functioning in 85 children 6–16 years old, 29 with spina bifida, 30 with ADHD and 29 controls. The group with spina bifida differed from the typically developed children, and the group consisting of children with ADHD received lower results than both those groups.…”

Spina Bifida

“…Typical areas of difficulty include construction or integration of information (math, problem-solving, and reading comprehension), use of language in context, visual-spatial reasoning, complex procedures with multiple steps, algorithms, problem-solving, and attention. [39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46] Medications for inattention may be effective at lower doses, although children with MMC do not appear to respond as robustly as children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 47 obesiTy ManageMenT…”