Landau-Kleffner syndrome: acquired epileptic aphasia in children

Acquired epileptic aphasia, or Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS), once thought to be a rare syndrome, may occur more frequently in the pediatric population than once thought. This syndrome is typically characterized by an abrupt or gradual loss of language ability and inattentiveness to sound, sometimes called auditory agnosia, with onset during the first 5 years of life. This interruption in communication ability is generally closely preceded, accompanied, or followed by the onset of seizure activity and/or abnormal electro-encephalographic (EEG) findings. This report describes two cases of LKS evaluated at the same hearing and speech center. Because of the characteristic language regression and inattentiveness to sound, speech-language pathologists and audiologists are likely to be among the first professionals to evaluate these children. It is imperative that communication specialists be alert to the characteristic symptoms of LKS in order to be instrumental in initiating an appropriate diagnostic and management process. A multidisciplinary approach to identification and rehabilitation is encouraged in order to effectively re-establish communication skills for these children.