Landau-Kleffner Syndrome

I was looking up unique and fairly unknown syndromes as research for the group project when I came across this puzzling, yet intriguing neurological syndrome called Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS). Wikipedia says , " [it] is a rare, childhood... syndrome characterized by the sudden or gradual development of aphasia (the inability to understand or express language)..."

What is interesting is that a child develops normally but somewhere between the ages of 5 and 7 they loose the language skills they've learned. Many also suffer from seizures. Because it is so rare and seemingly hard to pinpoint, it is often misdiagnosed as autism, pervasive developmental disorder, hearing impairment, learning disability, auditory/verbal processing disorder, ADD, mental retardation, childhood schizophrenia, or emotional/behavioral problems.

LKS is treatable with a combination of medications (i.e. anticonvulsants) and speech therapy which is started as early as the issue is recognized. There is also a controversial treatment which involves surgery. It's known as multiple subpial transection and what happens is that multiple incisions are made through the cortex of the affected part of the brain, severing the axonal tracts in the subjacent white matter.

Some affected children may have a permanent severe language disorder, while others may regain much of their language abilities (but it may take months or years). In some instances, remission and relapse can occur. The prognosis is improved when the onset of the disorder is after age 6 and when speech therapy is started early. Seizures generally disappear by adulthood.

Pretty crazy, huh? Who would have thought such a thing could happen. It truly is an example of just how complex our minds are.