MULTIPLE DIAGNOSES AND RISKS AMONG PRIMAR Y-SCHOOL CHILDREN

Multiple diagnoses and risks among primary school children. The study was conducted to assess the consequences of multiple diagnoses and han dicaps in children aged 6 to 8 years. Children were considered to be < <multiply handicapped>> if they suffered from two or more disorders or impairments included in the Multi-axial Classification Scheme. To thi s end children in special schools were compared with a random sample o f children from three communities in Bavaria. As expected, all prevale nces found in the population of children from special schools were sub stantially higher than those found in the random sample. Furthermore, the proportion of children with multiple handicaps in the special scho ols far exceeded what one would have expected based on the findings fo r the random sample. Most of the disturbances did not differ in respec t to their comorbidity. But the mentally retarded children in the spec ial schools were all <<multiply handicapped>>. The importance of <<mul tiple handicaps>> for the assignment to special schools is discussed, as are the implications for the planning of services.