Behavior Disorders of Childhood and the Electroencephalogram

Sustained Attention in Hyperactive Children*

“…The evidence for neurological impairment is sparse. No differences in neurological status were found between a control group and a mixed group of children with behaviour disorders, hyperactivity and learning problems (Stevens, Sachdev and Milstein, 1968).…”

“…There is also no strong evidence for a higher incidence, in hyperactive than in normal children, of pre-and para-natal factors thought to be associated with damage. No differences were found between hyperactive and control children when mothers were questioned about complications of pregnancy, delivery and post-natal deve19pment (Werry, Weiss and Douglas, 1964;Stevens, Sachdev and Milstein, 1968).…”

“…Various investigators have found an incidence of abnormal EEGs ranging ,from 35 to 50 percent in hyperactive children and in mixed groups of hyperactive and behaviour problem children (Werry, Weiss and Douglas, 1964;Werry, Weiss, Dogan, Minde and Douglas, 1969;Stevens, Sachdev and Milstein, 1968). These studies have, however, differed with respect to the incidence of abnormal EEGs found in their normal control groups such that it is difficult to draw conclusions concerning the EEG status of hyperactive children relative to normal children.…”

Physical, Mental and Critical Period

“…Thus, one may infer that during the critical period of language development, the actual structure and/or molecular chemistry of one hemisphere of the brain is permanently altered under the influence of environmental events entering the brain by way of the ears. In a new paper on the electroencephalogram, behavior disorder and minimal brain damage in children, Stevens, Sachdev and Milstein (1968) studied EEG, neurological, psychological and historical characteristics of 97 children referred with severe behavior disorders typical of the so-called minimal brain-damage syndrome and compared them with 88 control children. Volume 2, Number 3, March, 1969 Contrary to the traditional brain-damage hypothesis, adverse family environment led all other predisposing factors differentiating behavior-problem children from controls.…”

Sleep Disturbances and Epileptiform Activity in a Subpopulation of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): A Literature Review Generating an Hypothesis with Implications for Drug Therapy

“…Neurophysiological abnormalities in ADHD have also been investigated. In a comprehensive review, Stevens et al noted EEG abnormalities in 35-74% of patients with behavioral disorders compared with abnormal EEGs in 5-27% of age-matched controls (Stevens et al, 1968). Thirty per cent of children with ADHD had abnormal EEG tracings (n = 353) in another study and a further 40% had mild dysrhythmias (Klinkerfuss et al, 1965).…”