Landau Kleffner
Syndrome (LKS) is a rare form of childhood epilepsy which results
in a severe language disorder, a form of aphasia, (loss of language),
and usually develops between 3 and 7 years. It is twice as common
in males than females. Initially, these individuals have a healthy,
problem-free development with normal speech and vocabulary. These
individuals first lose their ability to comprehend and then their
ability to speak expressive speech. These changes can occur gradually
or suddenly.
Early signs may be referred to as auditory agnosia,
Spoken language is eventually affected, which may lead to complete
loss of the ability to speak.
Some children develop their own method of communicating, such as with
gestures orsigns.
Associated
Features:
History
of one or more epileptic seizures that usually occur at night
Abnormal electrical brain wave activity on both sides of the brain.
Hyperactivity.
Aggressiveness.
Depression.
Differential Diagnosis:
Some disorders
display similar or sometimes even the same symptom. The clinician,
therefore, in his diagnostic attempt has to differentiate against
the following disorders which one needs to be ruled out to establish
a precise diagnosis.
Cause:
The cause of LKS
is not known. It has been suggested may have been a dysfunctional
immune system, exposure to a virus, and brain trauma. The disorder
usually occurs in children between the ages of 3 and 7. Typically,
these children develop normally and then, for no apparent reason,
they lose the ability to understand others and to speak.
Treatment:
Treatment for
LKS usually consists of medications and specialized therapy programmes.,
A controversial treatment option involves a surgical technique called
multiple subpial transection in which the pathways of abnormal electrical
brain activity are severed.
Counseling
and Psychotherapy [
See Therapy Section ]:
Speech and language
therapy and special education are essential for these children. Children
with little or no language comprehension should be introduced to a
sign language as early as possible. Education should be in a special
class or school for children with severe speech and language disorders.
Pharmacotherapy
[ See Psychopharmacology
Section ] :
Anticonvulsants.
Corticosteroids.
