New Swedish Study Highlights Link Between Epilepsy and Language Difficulties in Children
A recent Swedish study reveals that over 70% of children newly diagnosed with epilepsy exhibit language difficulties, emphasising the need for early language assessments and tailored support to aid their development and well-being.
A brand-new study from the Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, at the University of Gothenburg, and the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, has shown that children newly diagnosed with epilepsy could be at increased risk of language difficulties, casting light on the need for more tailored support in this area. The Swedish study based in Gothenburg, focusing on 5- to 12-year-olds, discovered that a notable proportion of these children are met with have language impairments that could affect their overall development and well-being.
A total of 21 study participants were recruited from the Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital, Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg and from an additional four external paediatric and adolescent clinics in the same geographical area. The research recently published in the scientific journal Logopedics Phoniatrics Vocology and conducted on 21 children with new-onset epilepsy, discovered that nearly half (47.5%) of the participants had a diagnosed language disorder, based on the World Health Organization's ICD-10 criteria. A further 24% of the children were identified as having language difficulties, though they did not meet the full criteria for a disorder. In total, just over 70% of the children in the study exhibited impaired language ability to some extent.
These impairments affected a broad range of language skills, including language memory, receptive language (the child’s ability to understand information), and semantic processing (the child’s ability to understand meaning in language). Only six study participants exhibited language abilities that fell within the normal range.
The results indicate that language difficulties may be more prevalent in children with epilepsy than previously thought and the researchers at the centre of this study raise concerns that children with epilepsy may require even more specialised support when it comes to tackling co-existing language problems.
"It is not uncommon for language difficulties to be overlooked when specifically focusing on the treatment of epilepsy," explained one of the study’s researchers, Speech and Language Pathologist Fritjof Norrelgen. "However, our findings do underscore the significance of investigating language development in children with epilepsy.
Appeal for targeted support
The researchers also recognise the importance of providing language assessments to children with new-onset epilepsy. Early identification of language difficulties can facilitate schools and families to provide adequate interventions, thereby helping these children improve their communication skills, which are a cornerstone for success in both the academic and social spheres.
Epilepsy, one of the most common neurological diseases, is a condition that poses a great challenge for children and their families. These study results highlight the need for careful support for young patients in their daily lives, especially regarding their speech and language development. As this issue attracts more attention, experts anticipate that medical professionals will prioritise language assessments for children diagnosed with epilepsy to ensure they receive the appropriate support early on in their lives.
More collaboration required
This study encourages collaboration among healthcare providers, schools, and families to identify and support children facing challenges related to both epilepsy and language difficulties. Supplying the appropriate resources at an early age could significantly impact the well-being and long-term outcomes for these children.
“As there is a dearth of few studies that examining both epilepsy and language disorders, we hope that this research could lay the foundations for further studies and more holistic approaches to managing the co-occurring challenges that children with epilepsy often face”, says Fritjof Norrelgen.
Reference to article
Nordberg Å, Miniscalco C, Norrelgen F. Language ability in 5-12-year-old children with new-onset epilepsy. Logoped Phoniatr Vocol. 2024 Sep 1:1-9. doi: 10.1080/14015439.2024.2379297. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39218004.
TEXT AV: ANNA SPYROU
