Ocular disease in mildly developmental disorders

Abstract

Background: Recently, mildly developmental disorder, including attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and learning disorder (LD), has been increasingly closed up. Visual perceptual training is provided for them at Osaka medical college LD center. In this study, we report that the department of ophthalmology started associating with the center in order to discuss children suspected that ocular disease cause developmental delay in visual perception. Subject and methods: 22 children (16 males and 6 females) with mildly developmental disorders served as the subjects. The subjects received examinations and treatments if ocular disease was found at the Department of Ophthalmology, Osaka Medical College. Result: Average IQs of the subjects were 88.7 for verbal IQ and 78.4 for performance IQ on WISC-III. The results indicate that they tend to have visual-motor development delay and be weak in visual tasks. Ocular disease of the subjects, which may influence developmental delay of visual perceptual, include 12 of consistent and intermittent exotropia (8 convergence insufficiency), two exotropia, a superior oblique palsy, two congenital nystagmus, 14 refractive errors needed lens prescriptions. Three of them received amblyopia treatments, three received strabismus surgeries. Conclusion: It is difficult to differentiate if developmental delay of visual perception caused by ocular disease or general developmental delay, even though many of children with mildly developmental disorder have visual perceptual problems. The results indicate that mildly developmental disorders with visual perceptual problems tend to have ocular deviation and refractive error which should be treated. Cooperation among department of ophthalmology, pediatrics, and facilities that provide child developmental care is needed.