Childhood Epilepsy: Language, Learning and Behavioural Complications

by William B. Svoboda

Overview

William Svoboda channels a lifetime of clinical experience into three areas—language, learning, and behavior—that encompass the major difficulties of children "growing up with epilepsy." In each area he looks at why the problems arise and assesses potential treatments. The focus of this comprehensive work is on the complete care of the child rather than on diagnosis, classification and medication alone. More than half of all epileptic children have interrelated language, learning, and/or behavior complications that persist beyond seizure control and present problems for health and educational systems. This reference makes a significant contribution to furthering the knowledge of clinicians, educators, and language specialists about the needs of this special pediatric population.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521530293
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	06/24/2010
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	674
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 9.60(h) x 1.60(d)

About the Author

Born December 10 1936, Omaha, Nebraska. Founder of Via Christi Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, Wichita, Kansas. Former Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Kansas School of Medicine.

Table of Contents

Preface; Glossary; 1. Looking ahead; Part I. Speech and Language Problems: 2. Language: the challenge; 3. Speech, language, and communication; 4. Speech and language problems in epilepsy; 5. Seizure types and speech and language risks; 6. Language regressions with epilepsy syndromes; 7. Other epilepsy language syndromes; 8. Seizure-management effects; 9. Evaluation of speech and language problems; 10. Management of speech and language problems in epilepsy; 11. Behavior consequences; Part II. Learning Problems: 12. Learning challenges; 13. The development of learning; 14. Learning difficulties; 15. Learning problems with seizure types; 16. Modifying factors; 17. Transient cognitive impairments of epilepsy; 18. Attention and alertness; 19. Memory; 20. Executive functioning; 21. Academics; 22. Antiepileptic medication effects; 23. Effects of other therapies; 24. Diagnosis; 25. Gaining help; 26. Frustrations of learning problems; Part III. Behavior Problems: 27. Mental health needs; 28. Psychologic development; 29. Seizure types and modifying factors; 30. Overview: extrinsic factors; 31. Behavior problems: general; 32. Attention deficit disorders; 33. Anxiety disorders; 34. Mood disorders; 35. Disruptive behavior problems; 36. Psychoses of epilepsy; 37. Non-epileptic events; 38. Possible treatment issues; 39. Helping with psychiatric problems; Epilogue; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"[T]his impressive volume is one of the first dedicated entirely to the inter-relatedness of language, learning, and behavioural difficulties in childhood epilepsy. I recommend this book wholeheartedly as a courageous undertaking, highlighting problems that may go unrecognised long after the epilepsy has been brought under control." Gillian Parkinson, The Lancet, Neurology

"This is a unique book, as no similar compilation of information is available. It is up-to-date and, as a single authored source, reads evenly and provides great continuity between chapters and sections. It occupies a unique niche and is a valuable contribution to the literature." Doody's Review ServiceG

"...very readable...References are numerous throughout the 656 pages and the book is easy to use due to the many headings and sub-headings...This is a useful volume not only for reference but for browsing and as a source of information for those who look after children with epilepsy." Doctors' Net

"This book provides a comprehensive and well-referenced overview of current thinking and research pertaining to co-morbidities associated with childhood epilepsy." British Journal of Neuroscience Nursing, Siobhan Hannan

"...on the whole this is a very useful and interesting book which I think will be of particular interest to clinicians with a specialist interest in children with epilepsy." Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Marian Perkins

From the Publisher

3 Stars from Doody

Reviewer: Michael Duchowny, M.D.(Miami Children's Hospital)
Description: This is a broad overview of developmental problems associated with epilepsy in childhood. It covers a broad range of problems including disorders of speech, language, learning and behavior.
Purpose: The book is designed to provide a comprehensive overview of problems associated with epilepsy. It integrates information about seizure disorders with their comorbid conditions and emphasizes neuropsychological aspects of seizures and their treatment. This focus is especially noteworthy as most other textbooks of epilepsy give preferential treatment to the medical and pharmacological aspects of epilepsy.
Audience: By virtue of the material, and the way it is presented, this book should have widespread appeal to primary care pediatricians and a broad range of specialists. Developmental pediatricians, speech therapists, child psychiatrists and child psychologists will find this book particularly valuable.
Features: The book is subdivided into three sections on speech and language, learning problems, and behavior problems. Chapters cover a wide range of topics that include developmental and psychiatric disorders and nonepileptic events. Epilepsy syndromes such as the Landau Kleffner syndrome and bilateral congenital perisylvian syndrome that are linked specifically to associated disorders are described. The reference lists following each chapter are comprehensive and a glossary of neurological and epilepsy related terms is provided. No tables or figures are provided; this is a shortcoming as graphics and charts would help the reader to organize the material and illustrate information in the book.
Assessment: This is a unique book, as no similar compilation of information is available. It is up-to-date and, as a single authored source, reads evenly and provides great continuity between chapters and sections. It occupies a unique niche and is a valuable contribution to the literature.

Doody's Review Service