SLEEP EEG AND DEVELOPMENTAL DYSPHASIA

To determine the relation between developmental dysphasia and EEG anom alies during sleep, we compared 52 subjects with dysphasia with a cont rol group of 20 children by using the ambulatory EEG method. Whereas 5 0% of the children with dysphasia experienced paroxysmal activity (PA) , only two of the control group did. It is likely that paroxysmal abno rmalities and language impairment are related to architectural dysplas ia and neuron-migration disturbances. PA is frequent in subjects with receptive developmental dysphasia and may be the cause of language det erioration. When the occurrence of paroxysmal abnormalities during sle ep is higher than 8% of total sleep time, we suggest the use of antiep ileptic drugs.