• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.457-468
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• 2006

It is widely known that individuals with mental retardation (MR) and Down's syndrome (DS) often develop early onset periodontal diseases. In this study, the prevalence of periodontopathic bacteria in MR persons and DS patients was compared with normal persons. Plaque index and gingival index were measured. Five periodontopathic bacteria, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Fusobacterium nucleatum were surveyed in subgingival plaque samples by the polymerase chain reaction. Results : 1. Plaque index and gingival index were higher in MR persons group and DS patients group than normal persons group (p<0.05). 2. The prevalence of periodontopathic bacteria in normal persons group were lower than that of MR persons group and DS. Significant differences were observed in the prevalence of P. gingivalis, T. denticola and A. actinomycetemcomitans(P<0.05). 3. Prevalence of P. gingivalis(5.9%) at age 8-10 was lower than other ages in normal persons group, and its prevalence increased with age Prevalence of P. gingivalis, T. denticola and A. actinomycetemcomitans at MR persons group and DS patients group were higher than those of same ages of normal persons group. 4. Plaque index was associated with T. denticola and gingival index was associated with T. denticola and A. actinomycetemcomitans(P<0.05). These results suggested that plaque index, gingival index and prevalence of periodontopathic pathogens, especially P. gingivalis, T. denticola and A actinomycetemcomitans in DS patients group and MR persons group are higher than those of normal persons group.

• Proceedings of the Korea Contents Association Conference
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.1076-1082
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• 2009

This study investigated caregivers' communication styles and children's emotional development. Emotion-laden puzzle tasks were used to elicit caregivers' communication styles while interacting with their children. Participants included children with Down syndrome (N=10) and typical children (N=15) and their caregivers. As expected, caregivers of children with Down syndrome (DS) used more behavior and attention directives with their children, and caregivers of typical children used more conversation-eliciting prompts with their children. Parents of children with Down syndrome also used a unique communication style in which they asked a question and immediately answered it themselves. Additionally, caregivers of typical children focused more on emotion concepts in their communications with their children and caregivers of DS used more cognitive concepts such as labeling colors and shapes. The results revealed that caregivers of children with Down syndrome usually tried to educate children by emphasizing cognitive concepts to compensate for their delayed development. Because the children are delayed in their emotional development, parents may need help in intervening on the area of emotional development.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.147-157
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• 1992

The fragile X syndrome, which is considered to be synonymous with the Martin-Bell syndrome, is a relatively common form of X-linked mental retardation. The syndrome seems to occure in many different ethnic groups and its prevalence among mentally retarded males has been estimated to be in the order of 2 to 6%. The karyotypic hallmark of the syndrome is made up with a pronounced constriction near each tip of the long arm of the X chromosome(fragile site), shown in vitro only under conditions in which thymidylate production is blocked(lowered folate levels). Special culture media are needed to demonstrate this constriction site. Major clinical features associated with the syndrome include macroorchidism, large or prominent ears, significant emotional and behavioral dysfunctions such as hyperactivity, self-injury, lack of eye contact and social interaction, schizophrenia, autism, etc., and speech and language dysfunctions ranging from nonverbal to verbal speech with moderate to severe expressive language delays. Some have minor clinical features in common such as an increase in birth weight high forehead, prognathism, increased head circumference in infancy and childhood which did not persist into adult life. The recent research findings have shown that the fragile X syndrome is associated with infantile autism. Many patients with the fragile X syndrome fulfill the diagnostic criteria for infantile autism. Therefore it is recommendable that any patient with developmental delays and autism or autistic manifestations should have a chromosomal analysis, including fragile X examination. In the present review, historical aspects, incidence, and clinical features are presented. Recent anecdotal reports of the association with autism and the clinical improvement following high dose folic acid treatment will be discussed.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.112-119
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• 2003

We studied the nutritional status of on mentally handicapped children living at home or in institutions since early teenage years are nutritionally important. The subjects of 7 to 12 year old mentally retarded children attenending a special education school in Seoul were surveyed with questionnaires as well as 2-day dietary recall records, with the help of persons of their care-giver when needed. Among the 64 children,54.7% are living in institutions and the rest of them are living at home. They were ranged from the trainable (64.1%) , the educable (26.6%) , and the non-trainable (9.4%) . Their average daily intake of energy intakes (%RDA) was 2,070.1 kcal (94.1%) , Ca 603.9 mg (75.5%) , Fe 11.1 mg (92.5%), Vt.A 507.5 RE (84.6%) , Vt. B$_2$.1g (88.2%), niacin 14.1 g (93.6%) and Vt. C 58.2 g (83.1%) . Their average intakes of these nutrients were significantly higher in subjects of institutions than at home. The nutrients consumed at a much higher level than the RDh of the normal children were Vt. B, (1.6 g,146.8%) and protein (75.3g, 136.9%) . The higher percentage of children at home were under consumed of several nutrients (< 75% RDA) than ones in institutions. When comparing the degree of handicap, energy and nutrient intakes except Vt. C were highest in educable children than trainable ones or Dawn's children. MAR of the diets of the subjects was 0.84. Children at home showed lower MAR as well as NAR of each nutrients, whereas children belonged to INQ < 1 were less at home. Handicapped children at home were snacking higher amount relative to their calorie intake and too frequently, that may lead to their poor nutrition. There was positive correlations between factors of nutrition and physical and dietary behaviors, but there were no correlations between factors of nutrition and health-related habits. Nutritional caring mentally handicapped children in institutions seemed to be more effectively managed.