What is the first clinical sign of Landau-Kleffner Syndrome?

Landau-Kleffner Syndrome (LKS) is a rare childhood neurological condition characterized by a progressive loss of language skills in a previously healthy child, often following the onset of seizures. The first clinical sign typically observed in this syndrome is a sudden or gradual acquisition of aphasia, which refers to the impaired ability to communicate effectively through speech or writing.

Children with LKS may initially appear to develop normally, but they begin to lose their expressive language abilities and may also have difficulty with comprehension. This language regression is a hallmark feature of LKS and distinguishes it from other conditions that may present similarly.

While seizures are indeed a prominent feature of LKS and may develop after the onset of language difficulties, they do not signify the initial clinical manifestation. Other conditions listed, such as psychosis and ataxia, are not characteristic features of LKS and typically arise in different contexts or disorders. Understanding the clinical progression of LKS highlights the critical importance of early identification of language deficits as a primary indicator of the syndrome.