The health and educational status of adolescents with congenital rubella syndrome.

As part of a longitudinal study of children with congenital rubella syndrome, 53 adolescents between 16 and 18 years of age were surveyed to determine their health and educational status. The findings were compared with those at the 18-months evaluation. At 16 to 18 years neurosensory impairments, cerebral dysfunction and organic behaviour syndromes were predominant, but the majority of children had multiple handicaps. A higher proportion had hearing loss. Although all the hearing-impaired children were begun in oral-based educational programs, 90 per cent of those with severe to profound hearing-loss diagnosed before the age of 18 months had changed to total or manual communication. Those with mild to moderate hearing-loss diagnosed after 18 months primarily communicate orally. The educational implications of these findings are discussed.