Landau-Kleffner syndrome: a rare auditory processing disorder series of cases and review of the literature

Abstract

Objective: To describe the clinical presentation and treatment of 3 children with an Auditory Processing Disorder with an identifiable neurological cause: Landau-Kleffner syndrome. This classical syndrome is well recognized in pediatric neurology but the diagnosis is less well known to Pediatric Otolaryngology, Speech Language Pathology and Audiology services.

Methods: Retrospective chart review of three patients with Landau-Kleffner syndrome.

Results: In all cases, pharmacological intervention led to clinical and electroencephalographic improvement, but all patients had long-term difficulty with understanding sounds in a noisy environment. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of the brain was normal in all three patients. Their language disturbance improved over time. Speech language intervention was helpful in addressing communication difficulties arising from the auditory processing/receptive and expressive language disorder.

Conclusion: A multidisciplinary assessment is the key for early diagnosis, treatment and follow-up in patients with this syndrome.