Language and Focal Brain Lesion in Childhood

• Published in: Journal of child neurology Vol. 25; no. 7; pp. 829 - 833
• Main Authors: Avila, Lia, Riesgo, Rudimar, Pedroso, Fleming, Goldani, Marcelo, Danesi, Marlene, Ranzan, Josiane, Sleifer, Pricila
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01-07-2010
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age Factors; Brain Ischemia - complications; Brain Ischemia - psychology; Child; Child, Preschool; Developmental Disabilities - complications; Developmental Disabilities - diagnosis; Developmental Disabilities - psychology; Epilepsy - complications; Epilepsy - psychology; Female; Humans; Infant; Language Disorders - complications; Linguistics; Male; Phonetics; Prognosis; Semantics; Stroke - complications; Stroke - psychology; Time Factors; Young Adult; semantic; syntax; language; stroke; pragmatic; phonology
• ISSN: 0883-0738; 1708-8283
• DOI: 10.1177/0883073809350724

Childhood ischemic strokes can lead to problems like hemiplegias, epilepsies, cognitive changes (memory and mathematical solutions), and language ability (reading, writing, and aphasias). The purpose of this study was to evaluate language and its aspects in children with unilateral ischemic stroke and associate them with the age during the event, injured side, and occurrence of epilepsy. Thirty-two children between 8 months and 19 years of age were evaluated. Among them, 21 (65%) had a change in their language skills, there being a connection between age and the time of injury (P < .05). The most impaired aspects were their phonology, semantics, and syntax. In this sample, there was a persistent change in the semantic aspect, which is an alert for the early detection of learning and future development problems.