Abstract
In a previous study we reported difficulty with expressive language and visuoperceptual ability in preschool children with epilepsy and otherwise normal development. The present study analysed speech and language dysfunction for each individual in relation to epilepsy variables, ear preference, and intelligence in these children and described their auditory function. Twenty 6-year-old children with epilepsy (14 females, 6 males; mean age 6:5 y, range 6 y–6 y 11 mo) and 30 reference children without epilepsy (18 females, 12 males; mean age 6:5 y, range 6 y–6 y 11 mo) were assessed for language and auditory ability. Low scores for the children with epilepsy were analysed with respect to speech-language domains, type of epilepsy, site of epileptiform activity, intelligence, and language laterality. Auditory attention, perception, discrimination, and ear preference were measured with a dichotic listening test, and group comparisons were performed. Children with left-sided partial epilepsy had extensive language dysfunction. Most children with partial epilepsy had phonological dysfunction. Language dysfunction was also found in children with generalized and unclassified epilepsies. The children with epilepsy performed significantly worse than the reference children in auditory attention, perception of vowels and discrimination of consonants for the right ear and had more left ear advantage for vowels, indicating undeveloped language laterality.
Highlights
Speech and language ability has previously rarely been comprehensively described in studies of cognitive abilities in children with epilepsy
Speech and language difficulties are known to be associated with specific epilepsy syndromes, such as the Landau Kleffner syndrome (LKS) and benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS) [1,4,5], but they have been reported in focal epilepsy [6,7]
Ten children had partial epilepsy with or without secondary generalization, three with focal epileptiform activity in the left hemisphere, three in the right hemisphere, one in the frontal lobes, and one with epileptiform activity alternating between the right and left temporal lobes; in two children, the interictal EEG was normal
Summary
Speech and language ability has previously rarely been comprehensively described in studies of cognitive abilities in children with epilepsy. According to Deonna [1] there are several situations in which a direct causal link between epilepsy and language disorder exists. Both language and the motor command of speech can be affected. There are recent indications that epilepsy may be more common in language-impaired children than is generally known. A high proportion of Electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities and epileptic syndromes has been found in children with severe language impairment [2], and Sillanpaareported a high proportion of speech disorder in children with epilepsy [3]. Speech and language difficulties are known to be associated with specific epilepsy syndromes, such as the Landau Kleffner syndrome (LKS) and benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BCECTS) [1,4,5], but they have been reported in focal epilepsy [6,7]
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