One hundred and twenty visually handicapped children below 7 years of age.

120 visually handicapped pre-school children are evaluated according to eye disease and its etiology, and the associated handicap, all related to the different levels of functioning. One third of the children fulfil the expectations on visually handicapped children. The group consists mainly of children suffering from hereditary ocular disorders and some children with retrolental fibroplasia. One third of the children are moderately or severely intellectually impaired, bearing a heavy burden of additional handicaps; many are born premature or dysmature, having suffered perinatal complications. The final third are children who fall outside the other 2 groups, some with a brain damage syndrome, some with light or moderate behavioural and emotional disturbance. The moderate and severe emotional disturbance and its relation to a brain dysfunctional syndrome are discussed.