DIFFERENTIAL LANGUAGE OUTCOMES IN CHILDREN FOLLOWING TREATMENT FOR POSTERIOR-FOSSA TUMORS

Twenty children who had been treated for posterior fossa tumour at lea st 12 months prior to their involvement in the present study were admi nistered a battery of language tests. Six children experienced surgery as the only form of tumour treatment, and 14 children received centra l nervous system prophylaxis following craniotomy. Examination of thei r individual language abilities demonstrated that the nature and sever ity of language deficits following treatment for a posterior fossa tum our vary widely, ranging from above-average language abilities to mark ed global language problems. The influence of variables such as tumour type, surgical complications, the need for radiotherapy, age at diagn osis, and the presence of associated hydrocephalus on chronic language abilities is discussed.