INFANTILE SPASTIC HEMIPLEGIA

Abstract

From this study the following conclusions emerge regarding the relation of intelligence of infantile spastic hemiplegics to various factors. The spastic hemiplegics of the present series were retarded approximately 20 I.Q. points below normal individuals. The mean I.Q. scores and the incidence of mental retardation were in close agreement with several early reports. The marked difference from the recent reports of Hohman and others reporting consecutive series of cerebral palsied patients is attributed to the fact that the present study is based upon a selective population. Left and right hemiplegics did not differ significantly either in mean I.Q. scores or in the incidence of mental deficiency. Male and female hemiplegics did not differ significantly, either in mean I.Q. scores or in the incidence of mental deficiency. The mean I.Q. scores of the congenital and acquired cases did not differ significantly nor was there a greater incidence of mental deficiency in either of the 2 groups. Mental deficiency was significantly related to the presence of convulsions in this series of spastic hemiplegics; the mean I.Q. score of the convulsives was significantly lower than that for the nonconvulsives by 12 I.Q. points. There was a significantly greater number of mental defectives below the age of 6 than above that age, although the mean I.Q. scores did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. When the subjects were grouped into age levels of 1-year intervals, there was no greater incidence of mental deficiency nor did the mean I.Q. scores differ significantly at any year level. The infectious and traumatic groups of acquired etiologies showed no significant difference in mean I.Q. scores. The toxemia of pregnancy group showed approximately the same incidence of mental deficiency and the same mean I.Q. score as the group composed of all other congenital etiologies of spastic hemiplegia.