An aphasic child with behavioral abnormality: Landau–Kleffner syndrome

Abstract

Acquired epileptic aphasia, otherwise known as Landau–Kleffner syndrome, is a childhood epilepsy syndrome, characterized by acquired aphasia, seizures, behavioral abnormalities, and abnormal electroencephalography (EEG), in various combinations. Sometimes, some intracranial pathologies, such as brain tumor, head injury, demyelination, and neurocysticercosis, have been found in association. Here, we report a case of a 5-year-old male child presenting with gradual loss of speech, behavioral abnormalities, such as hyperactivity, inattentiveness, and abnormal EEG findings, but without the classical seizures seen with this syndrome.

Keywords

• Aphasia
• Landau–Kleffner syndrome
• sleep electroencephalography