Abstract
Methodological issues in research concerning intellectual sequelae of infantile hydrocephalus are reviewed, and a multivariate statistical approach to this problem is proposed and exemplified. The significance of a variety of medical history variables with regard to psychometric intelligence was assessed in a sample of 5- to 8-year-old children who had been shunted in the 1st year of life. Stepwise discriminant analyses revealed that many medical history variables were neutral with regard to intellectual outcome (as assessed by performance on psychometric tests). The presence of additional medical problems in infancy, as well as current ocular defects, were the most significant variables that were associated with a high likelihood of mental retardation. Implications for further research are discussed.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amacher AL, Wellington J (1984) Infantile hydrocephalus: long-term results of surgical therapy. Child's Brain 11:217–229
Brown JT, McLone DG (1981) The effect of complications on intellectual function in 167 children with myelomeningocele. Z Kinderchir 34:117–211
Cohen J (1968) Multiple regression as a general data-analytic system. Psychol Bull 70:426–443
Dennis M, Fitz CR, Netley CT, Sugar J, Harwood-Mash DCF, Hendrick EB, Hoffman HJ, Humphreys RP (1981) The intelligence of hydrocephalic children. Arch Neurol 38:607–615
Halliwell MD, Carr JG, Pearson AM (1980) The intellectual and educational functioning of children with neural tube defects. Z Kinderchir 31:375–381
Hollingshead AB, Redlich FC (1958) Social class and mental illness. Wiley, New York
Hunt GM, Holmes AB (1976) Factors relating to intelligence in treated cases of spina bifida cystica. Am J Dis Child 130:823–827
Hurley AD, Laatsch LK, Dorman C (1983) Comparison of spina bifida, hydrocephalic patients and matched controls on neuropsychological tests. Z Kinderchir 38 [Suppl 2]:116–118
Lonton AP (1977) Location of the myelomeningocele and its relationship to subsequent physical and intellectual abilities in children with myelomeningocele associated with hydrocephalus. Z Kinderchir 22:510–519
Lonton AP (1979) The relationship between intellectual skills and the computerized axial tomograms of children with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. Z Kinderchir 28:368–374
Lonton AP, Barrington NA, Lorber J (1975) Lacunar skull deformity related to intelligence in children with myelomeningocele and hydrocephalus. Dev Med Child Neurol 17 [Suppl 35]:58–64
McCullough DC, Balzer-Martin LA (1982) Current prognosis in overt neonatal hydrocephalus. J Neurosurg 57:378–383
Prígatano GP, Zeíner HK, Pollay M, Kaplan RJ (1984) Neuropsychological functioning in children with shunted uncomplicated hydrocephalus. Child's Brain 10:112–120
Raimondi AJ, Soare P (1974) Intellectual development in shunted hydrocephalic children. Am J Dis Child 127:664–671
Shurtleff DB, Kronmal R, Foltz EL (1975) Follow-up comparison of hydrocephalus with and without myelomeningocele. J Neurosurg 42:61–68
Soare PL, Raimondi AJ (1977) Intellectual and perceptual-motor characteristics of treated myelomeningocele children. Am J Dis Child 131:199–204
Spain B (1974) Verbal and performance ability in pre-school children with spina bifida. Dev Med Child Neurol 16:773–780
Stein SC, Schut L, Borns P (1974) Lacunar skull deformity (Lückenschädel) and intelligence in myelomeningocele. J Neurosurg 41:10–13
Tew B, Laurence KM (1975) The effects of hydrocephalus on intelligence, visual perception and school attainment. Dev Med Child Neurol 17 [Suppl 35]:129–134
Tew B, Laurence KM (1978) Ocular defect, intellectual and motor performance in children with spina bifida cystica. Z Kinderchir 25:423–430
Tew B, Laurence KM (1984) The relationship between intelligence and academic achievements in spina bifida adolescents. Z Kinderchir 39 [Suppl 2]:122–124
Thompson MG, Eisenberg HM, Levin HS (1982) Hydrocephalic infants: developmental assessment and computed tomography. Child's Brain 9:400–410
Tromp CN, Van den Burg W, Jansen A, DeVries JJM (1979) Nature and severity of hydrocephalus and its relation to later intellectual function. Z Kinderchir 28:354–360
Upadhyaya P, Bhargava S, Dube S, Sundaram KR, Ochaney M (1982) Result of ventriculoatrial shunt surgery for hydrocephalus using Indian shunt valve: evaluation of intellectual performance with particular reference to computerized axial tomography. Prog Pediatr Surg 15:209–222
Villani R, Gani SM, Giovanelli M, Tomei G, Zavanone M, Motti EDF (1976) Skull changes and intellectual status in hydrocephalic children following CSF shunting. Dev Med Child Neurol 18 [Suppl 37]:77–81
Wechsler D (1969) Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence. Psychological Corporation, New York
Wechsler D (1974) Wechsler Intelligence Test for Children —Revised. Psychological Corporation, New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Donders, J., Canady, A.I. & Rourke, B.P. Psychometric intelligence after infantile hydrocephalus. Child's Nerv Syst 6, 148–154 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00308492
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00308492