Mahmoud Abd El Hafez M. Adam

Objectives: To assess coping strategies, strengths and difficulties of children with low vision enrolled in main stream education.
Methods: A cross sectional study of 26 children age 8 to 15 attending the outpatient clinic for low vision of the Memorial Institute for Ophthalmologic Research in Giza. A structured interview for psychiatric assessment in addition to Children Depression Scale (CDI), Coping Strategies Questionnaire and Strength & Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were used. Results were analyzed using both the qualitative descriptive and quantitative approaches.
Results: The most frequent coping strategies used were spiritual & emotional expression. Academic, emotional (anxiety rather than depression) and peer problems were the most frequent. There was a very low agreement between parents and children's ratings regarding most domains.
Conclusion: Integration of low vision children in main steam education is recommended and few modifications would significantly improve their quality of life.

Thirty male patients suffering from poor scholastic performance were enrolled in this study. The study and matched control groups underwent full pediatric and psychiatric assessment as well as chromosomal analysis and cytogenetic fragile X site detection. They were all in schools and had an IQ above 75. Exclusion included major dysmorphic features, visual or hearing impairment, ADHD, pervasive developmental disorder, tic disorder, anxiety and mood disorders. In addition the control group had at least an average scholastic performance as reported by parents and school grades and no history of any psychiatric disorder.
Results: 43.33% (n=13) of the study group had reading disorder or reading disorder &/or disorder of written expression; 13.33% (n=4) had mathematics disorder another 13.33% (n=4) had difficulties with mathematics not amounting to disorder, and 30% (n=9) qualified for the DSM IV TM category of academic problem (V62.3) where they presented with failing grades and significant underachievement despite their relative adequate intellectual capacity and absence of learning disorder. Chromosomal analysis detected 11 cases (36.67%) with chromosomal variations. These were interstitial deletion in chromosome 2(p22-p24) in one case; paracentric inversion chromosome 6 (p23 – p24) in one patient; paracentric inversion chromosome 9 (p21 – p24) in two patients; interstitial deletion in chromosome 15 (q22 – q23) in one patient; Chromosome 15(p +) ( duplication of the short arm) in two patients; supernumerary small marker chromosome in one patient; deletion of the heterochromatine of Y chromosome Y (q12) in two patients and break at X(q27) in folate deficient media in two patients (one had an additional 15p+). None of the control group was found to have an abnormal cytogenetic study. Conclusion: Poor academic performance could be added to the various phenotypes predicting genetic (chromosomal) abnormality.