Minimal brain dysfunction in children: pre-, peri-, postnatal factors and developmental characteristics.

The importance of medical and developmental phenomena is emphasized in the diagnosis of minimal brain dysfunction in children. Yet there is little information about these areas compared with psychologically oriented criteria. A small sample of identified children subjected to a detailed and systematic survey showed little variation from normative expectations in terms of developmental milestones.Although a typical presentation was not apparent, the survey shows that pre- and perinatal complications may be contributors to later learning problems. However, the authors advocate greater precision through a correlational approach as a prerequisite to further insight about the syndrome.