Gerald Erenberg, M.D.
T h e child who does not meet expectations for academic perthrmance in school, but has intelligence in the normal range, has been a continuing source of puzzlement and frustration for professionals, parents, and the child himself. Difficulties begin with as simple an issue as how to define learning disabilities. In the 1960s and early 1970s, childrerl with problems in the areas of' learning, behavior, and motor coordination were often diagnosed as having minimal brain dysfunction. In 1966, a panel convened by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare defined the syndrome as follows:' 'l'he term "minimal brain dysfunction syndrome" refers in this paper to chiltlren of near average, average, o r above average general intelligence with certain learning o r I)eIiavioral disabilities ranging from mild to severe, which are associatecl with deviations of fl~nctionof the central nervous system. 71'hese deviations may manifest theniselves by various combinatioris of i ~ n p a i r m e n tin ~ ~ e r c e p t i o nconceptualizatiori, , language, memory, and control of attention, inipulse, o r motor function. Similar syniptonis may o r rnay not complicate the pro1,lenis of chiltlren with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, mental retardation, blindness, o r deafness. 'l'hese aberrations may arise froni genetic variations, biochenlical irregularities, perinatal brain insults o r other illnesses o r ir1,juries sustained during the years
which are critical fhr the development anti maturation o f the central nervous system o r from unknown causes. T h e definition also allows for the possibility that early severe sensory deprivation could result in central nervous system alterations which may be permanent. During the school years, a variety of learning disabilities is the most prominent manifestation of the condition which can be designated by this term.
In 1975, congress passed The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142), and this became eff'ective in 1977.' This law requires that any state receiving funds through PL94-142 provide "free appropriate public education" fbr all handicapped children. T h e law included specific learning disabilities along with other possible handicaps as leading to eligibility for special services. Under PL94-142, eligibility for services is based upon this definition: Specific learning disability means a disorder in o n e o r more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding o r in using language, spoken o r written, which may n~anifestitself in a n imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, 01-to d o mathematical calculations. T h e term includes such conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, mininial brain dysfnnction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. T h e term does not include children who have learning problerns
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T h e child who does not meet expectations for academic perthrmance in school, but has intelligence in the normal range, has been a continuing source of puzzlement and frustration for professionals, parents, and the child himself. Difficulties begin with as simple an issue as how to define learning disabilities. In the 1960s and early 1970s, childrerl with problems in the areas of' learning, behavior, and motor coordination were often diagnosed as having minimal brain dysfunction. In 1966, a panel convened by the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare defined the syndrome as follows:' 'l'he term "minimal brain dysfunction syndrome" refers in this paper to chiltlren of near average, average, o r above average general intelligence with certain learning o r I)eIiavioral disabilities ranging from mild to severe, which are associatecl with deviations of fl~nctionof the central nervous system. 71'hese deviations may manifest theniselves by various combinatioris of i ~ n p a i r m e n tin ~ ~ e r c e p t i o nconceptualizatiori, , language, memory, and control of attention, inipulse, o r motor function. Similar syniptonis may o r rnay not complicate the pro1,lenis of chiltlren with cerebral palsy, epilepsy, mental retardation, blindness, o r deafness. 'l'hese aberrations may arise froni genetic variations, biochenlical irregularities, perinatal brain insults o r other illnesses o r ir1,juries sustained during the years
which are critical fhr the development anti maturation o f the central nervous system o r from unknown causes. T h e definition also allows for the possibility that early severe sensory deprivation could result in central nervous system alterations which may be permanent. During the school years, a variety of learning disabilities is the most prominent manifestation of the condition which can be designated by this term.
In 1975, congress passed The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142), and this became eff'ective in 1977.' This law requires that any state receiving funds through PL94-142 provide "free appropriate public education" fbr all handicapped children. T h e law included specific learning disabilities along with other possible handicaps as leading to eligibility for special services. Under PL94-142, eligibility for services is based upon this definition: Specific learning disability means a disorder in o n e o r more of the basic psychological processes involved in understanding o r in using language, spoken o r written, which may n~anifestitself in a n imperfect ability to listen, think, speak, read, write, spell, 01-to d o mathematical calculations. T h e term includes such conditions as perceptual handicaps, brain injury, mininial brain dysfnnction, dyslexia, and developmental aphasia. T h e term does not include children who have learning problerns
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