On International Epilepsy Day, we want to dedicate a few words to this neuronal disease on the VICON Method blog , in order to understand how epilepsy affects the language of our non-verbal children.

What is epilepsy due to?

To begin with, you have to know that epilepsy in children is due to neonatal factors in most cases. Where their language development may not differ too much from the language of a child who does not have the disease.

However, we can find syndromes such as West Syndrome , where epilepsy is one of the most frequent manifestations. Children with this syndrome do present alterations in speech and voice. The so-called dysarthria and aphasia , as well as learning difficulties .

How can epilepsy affect language?

Depending on the intensity of the epileptic seizures and the affected area, language development will be more or less affected.

In aphasia , areas of the brain that are responsible for language are damaged, causing alterations in comprehension, expression, reading and writing . The absence of epileptic control will also cause behavioral problems .

In this way, the learning capacity of children with epilepsy is different for each child , so we must design a specific intervention plan for each child.

We observe the most frequent difficulties in the reading-writing process, requiring specific adaptations to ensure that this learning is carried out successfully.

We also found difficulties in the visual and auditory perceptual areas and in graphomotor skills . We must emphasize correct learning of reading and writing, such as adequate psychomotor development, laterality, body schema and visual and auditory perceptual structuring .

Thus, activities must be proposed to work on these areas.

Epilepsy can affect the language areas of the brain. Depending on the affected area and the extent of the injury , we can find in our children a general language delay .

In these cases it is effective to maintain adequate eye contact to ensure that the child understands what we want to say. Here the video modeling technique plays an important role. Well, it helps you focus your visual attention, generating learning, motivation always being our best weapon of attack and accompaniment , enjoy and you will surely be able to handle all the difficulties you have.