Neurological Dysfunction and Reading Disorders

Intellectual functioning, visual perception, and academic achievement were investigated in two samples of children with significant reading disorders. One sample also showed demonstrable neurological abnormalities, while the second sample demonstrated no such abnormalities. The two samples differed significantly only on the visual-perceptual variable, suggesting more cognitive similarity than dissimilarity between the two groups. When the neurologically impaired sample was differentiated as to right- or left-side impairment, the right-sided sample performed significantly less adequately on the variables of WlSC Performance Scale IQ and Frostig PQ, while the left-sided sample performed significantly less adequately on the WISC Verbal Scale IQ, WRAT Reading, and WRA T Spelling. The implications of labeling a child as neurologically impaired are discussed.