Acquired childhood aphasia. Outcome 1 year after onset
M. C. Loonen and H. R. van Dongen
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Rotterdam-Dijkzigt, The Netherlands.
The effects of the variables age at onset, cause, severity and bilaterality
of lesion, and type of aphasia on course and outcome were investigated in a
group of 28 aphasic children. Analysis of spontaneous speech and tests of
auditory verbal comprehension were used to determine the presence of
aphasia. The severity of the cerebral lesion was assessed using a rating
scale for computed tomographic scans. Most of the children had not
recovered completely 1 year after onset. Recovery was significantly
different according to etiological categories. Complete recovery was seen
in the majority of traumatic cases.
