ARE FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH READING DIFFICULTIES AT RISK FOR IMMUNEDISORDERS AND NONRIGHTHANDEDNESS

This study used questionnaire data to examine immune disorders and non righthandedness in the families of children enrolled in a learning dis abilities school and children attending regular classrooms in public s chools. Groups were organized according to their performance on a stan dardized test of reading comprehension to avoid overlap. In total, 468 questionnaires were returned, from which we were able to derive a fin al sample of carefully matched subjects: 55 subjects undergoing remedi ation for reading problems and 55 age- and sex-matched control subject s. The results indicated that children with reading problems and their families mon frequently suffered from some immune and autoimmune diso rders, particularly those involving the gastrointestinal tract and the thyroid gland. In addition, symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivi ty disorder were associated with Crohn's disease and migraine headache in the families. There was no evidence of an elevated prevalence of n onrighthandedness in the children with reading problems and their fami lies.