Abstract
Objectives: To determine the possible relation between delayed language development (DLD), epilepsy and epileptiform Electroencephalogram (EEG) discharges in Saudi children.
Methodology: This study was conducted in King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In this study 116 pediatric patients with delayed language development and similar number of age and sex matched controls were studied. The age range for both groups was 2-8 years. Children with intelligence quotient less than 70, hearing impairment and radiological evidence of structural cerebral disease were excluded from the study. Sleep and awake EEG was recorded in each case. The EEG was reviewed by a clinical neurophysiotogist and a pediatric neurologist.
Results: Within the DLD group of children, 12.07% had epilepsy. This is significantly different (p<0.001) from the control group in which none of the children had epilepsy. In DLD group 26 patients (22.41%) had epileptiform discharges in their Electroencephalogram. However, in control group only one child (0.86%) had epileptiform discharges. The delayed language development patients had a significantly higher percentage of abnormal EEGs, p<0.001 compared to the control group. Furthermore, out of the 102 DLD patients, who had no seizure, 12 (11.76%), had epileptiform discharges in their EEG.
Conclusions: It is concluded that the children with delayed language development are associated with higher prevalence of epileptiform EEG discharges and epilepsy compared to their control.