Specific language impairment versus Landau-Kleffner syndrome

The occurrence of sleep electroencephalography (EEG) abnormalities in some children with specific language impairment (SLI), the various forms of language dysfunction patterns seen in children with benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECTS), and finally the acquired aphasia in Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS) indicate a large spectrum of interactions between language and epilepsy. As such, the question is whether SLI and LKS should rather be considered along a continuum or as two entirely distinct entities. In addition, the rationale for using antiepileptic medications in rare forms of SLI is discussed.