Landau-Kleffner Syndrome: Symptoms and Treatment for Aphasia

Landau-Kleffner Syndrome: Symptoms and Treatment for Aphasia

Landau-kleffner Syndrome

Landau-kleffner syndrome is a rare neurological disorder in children, which is manifested in the form of sudden or gradual inability to express or understand language. The condition is also referred to as aphasia. The condition involves impact on the portion of the brain which controls comprehension and speech. The condition is commonly observed in children between the ages of five to seven years.

Efficient diagnosis of the condition is critical, as it is often confused with schizophrenia, mental retardation, emotional or behavioral problems, ADHD, hearing impairment, autism or pervasive developmental disorder.

Landau-kleffner Syndrome Symptoms

The symptoms associated with the condition are characterized by the following,

Impaired functions including repetition, naming or speech

Impaired ability to make sounds or swallowing, especially when aphasia is associated with injury and affects the motor speech ability of the child

The condition may begin with speech delays with progressive loss of communication skills, either partial or complete

The symptoms may be temporary or permanent in nature. Unfortunately in most occasions there is no apparent cause of the condition.

Landau-kleffner Syndrome Treatment and Speech Therapy

Speech therapy is the most common and the best treatment option for patients with Aphasia.


There are no specific medications currently available and there is no cure for the condition. Speech therapy focuses on strengthening the remaining language skills of the child and compensates the skills that have been lost. The therapy includes,

Repetition of words and learning sign language

Exercising the facial muscles to strengthen the muscles

using flash cards or using workbooks to strengthen the child’s memory

Using pictures, hearing and reading tools

Also see on Childhood Epilepsy