The Electroencephalogram in Children with Developmental Dysphasia

Speech and language delay is a common developmental or acquired disorder. It can be a feature of the autistic spectrum, and if regression of language coincides with epilepsy, the diagnosis of Landau-Kleffner syndrome is considered. Slow acquisition of language without regression is called developmental dysphasia. A retrospective review of clinical and electroencephalographic (including video electroencephalographic) data on 138 children with speech/language delay, seen in a year's time, is presented. The electroencephalogram (EEG) was abnormal in 61% of children with a history of language regression. The EEG was abnormal in only 15% of children with developmental language disorder, most of whom also had clinical seizures. The difference between the two groups was highly significant (P = 0.004). Therefore obtaining an EEG in children with regression of language, especially if a history of clinical seizures is elicited, is indicated.