Spina bifida children in ordinary schools: handicap, attainment and behaviour.

Virtually all survivors of a selective surgical treatment policy were reassessed. This paper describes the status of 43 of the 74 in ordinary schools. The small number placed in special units often had very low or deviant scores on all measures. Those fully integrated had scores insignificantly different from the controls on reading, spelling and mathematics, but had weaknesses of tests of hand function. The majority of fully integrated pupils were free from behaviour problems. The extent of physical handicap encountered among pupils in the ordinary school is described.