There is no known cure for lissencephaly. Most individuals will die at an early age due to failure to thrive or infections such as pneumonia. Patients with milder forms such as double cortex syndrome may have mild retardation and seizures only
The prognosis for developmental apraxia of speech can vary depending on the severity of the condition and the individual's response to therapy. With early intervention and consistent speech therapy, many individuals with developmental apraxia of speech can make significant improvements in their speech abilities. Some may continue to have persistent difficulties with speech production, while others may outgrow the condition over time. Regular follow-up with a speech-language pathologist is recommended to monitor progress and provide ongoing support.
Some other words with the Greek root "gno" or "kno" include "gnosis" (knowledge), "agnostic" (one who believes knowledge of a higher power is unknown or unknowable), and "diagnose" (to identify a medical condition through analysis).
Candidates for a stapedectomy are individuals with otosclerosis, a condition where abnormal bone growth in the middle ear causes hearing loss. They typically have conductive hearing loss, often unimproved by hearing aids, and show a good prognosis for surgery based on audiometric testing and medical evaluation. Additionally, they should have realistic expectations and be in overall good health for surgery.
DefinitionSpeech disorders refer to several conditions in which a person has difficulty communicating by mouth.See also: Speech impairmentAlternative NamesArticulation deficiency; Voice disorders; DisfluencyCauses, incidence, and risk factorsSpeech is one of the primary ways we communicate with those around us. It is an effective way to monitor normal growth and development as well as to identify potential problems.Disfluencies are rhythm disorders that are usually characterized by the repetition of a sound, word, or phrase. Stuttering is perhaps the most serious disfluency.Articulation deficiencies involve sounds made incorrectly or inappropriately.Voice disorders involve abnormalities in the quality, pitch, and loudness of the sound.There are many potential causes of speech impairment. The most common cause is mental retardation. Other causes may include:Attention deficit disorder (ADD)AutismCerebral palsyCleft palateCri-du-chat syndromeDisorders of the palateGilles de la Tourette syndromeHearing impairmentLearning disabilityNeurological disorders, including stroke, Parkinson's disease, and ALSSchizophreniaTongue tie (ankyloglossia)Vocal cord injuryDelayed speech development is one of the common symptoms of developmentally delayed children. It occurs in 5 - 10% of all children. Boys are three to four times as likely to have speech disorders as girls.SymptomsDisfluency:Repetition of sounds, words, or phrases after age 4Frustration with attempts to communicateHead jerking while talkingEye blinking while talkingEmbarrassment with speechArticulation Deficiency:Unintelligible speech by age 3Leaves out consonants at the beginning of words by age 3Leaves out consonants at the end of words by age 4Persistent problems with articulation after age 7Leaves out sounds where they should occurDistorts soundsSubstitutes an incorrect sound for a correct oneVoice disorders:Pitch deviationsDeviations in the loudness and quality of the voiceSigns and testsThe following tests can help diagnose speech disorders:Denver Articulation Screening ExaminationEarly Language Milestone ScaleDenver IIPeabody Picture Test RevisedA hearing test may also be done.TreatmentThe best treatment is prevention and early intervention by a speech pathologist. Speech training is an involved and time-consuming endeavor that can have profound results with consistent treatment.Expectations (prognosis)The prognosis depends on the cause of the disorder. Usually, speech can be improved with speech therapy. Prognosis improves with early intervention.ComplicationsSpeech disorders may lead to psychosocial problems associated with ineffective communication.Calling your health care providerCall your health care provider if:Your child's speech is not developing according to normal milestonesIf you think your child is in a high-risk groupYour child is showing signs of a speech disorderPreventionMental retardation and hearing loss make children more likely to develop speech disorders. At-risk infants should be referred to an audiologist for an audiology exam. Audiological and speech therapy can then be started, if necessary.As young children begin to speak, some disfluency is common. Children lack a large vocabulary and have difficulty expressing themselves. This results in broken speech. If you place excessive attention on the disfluency, a stuttering pattern may develop. The best way to prevent stuttering, therefore, is to avoid paying too much attention to the disfluency.
DefinitionDevelopmental expressive language disorder is a condition in which a child has lower than normal ability in vocabulary, producing complex sentences, and remembering words. However, children with this disorder may have the normal language skills needed to understand verbal or written communication.Alternative NamesLanguage disorder - expressiveCauses, incidence, and risk factorsApproximately 3 - 10% of all school-age children have expressive language disorder. It is a pretty common issue in children.The causes of this disorder are not well understood. Damage to the cerebrum of the brain and malnutrition may cause some cases. Genetic factors may also be involved.SymptomsBelow-average vocabulary skillsImproper use of tenses (past, present, future)Problems making complex sentencesProblems remembering wordsSigns and testsStandardized expressive language and nonverbal intellectual tests should be conducted if an expressive language disorder is suspected. Testing for other learning disabilities may also be needed.TreatmentLanguage therapy is the best method to treat this type of disorder. The goal of this therapy is to increase the number of phrases a child can use. This is done by using block-building techniques and speech therapy.Expectations (prognosis)How much the child recovers depends on the severity of the disorder. With reversible factors, such as vitamin deficiencies, there may be nearly full recovery.Children who do not have any other developmental or motor coordination problems have the best outlook (prognosis). Often, such children have a family history of delays in language milestones, but eventually catch up.ComplicationsLearning problemsLow self-esteemSocial problemsCalling your health care providerIf you are concerned about a child's language development, have the child tested.PreventionGood nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood and prenatal care may help. Other methods of prevention are unknown.ReferencesSimms MD. Language disorders in children: classification and clinical syndromes. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2007;54(3):437-467.
Type I lissencephaly is more common and comprises 43% of lissencephaly syndromes in some studies. Type II lissencephaly accounted for 14% of lissencephalies
Cobblestone lissencephaly is associated with abnormalities in fukutin, a gene responsible for Fukuyama muscular dystrophy , a syndrome consisting of muscle weakness and cobblestone lissencephaly.
Type II, or "cobblestone" lissencephaly, is characterized by a bumpy appearance of the abnormal surface of the brain. The cortex in Type II lissencephaly is completely abnormal and there are no distinguishable layers
Type I, also known as classical lissencephaly, is distinguished by the smooth surface of the cerebral cortex and an abnormal four-layered cortex. Classical lissencephaly can be associated with abnormalities of the rest of the brain
The first gene causing lissencephaly, LIS1, was identified in patients with Miller-Dieker syndrome, a genetic syndrome caused by deletions of chromosome 17 that is a combination of lissencephaly and other facial deformities
In lissencephaly or agyria, neuronal migration fails globally, causing the brain to appear completely smooth and have abnormal layering in the cortex.
Due to developmental disability, children with lissencephaly who survive beyond the age of two may benefit from special education programs
Lissencephaly is part of a spectrum of brain malformations, which are referred to as the agyriapachygyria-band spectrum and are caused by abnormalities in neuronal migration, a critical process in brain development
Lissencephaly was first described by Owen in 1868 and means "smooth brain," which describes the gross appearance of the brain. Microscopically, the brain appears abnormally thick and disorganized
Lissencephaly is a neurological disorder of early brain development that leads to the gross appearance of a smooth brain. The malformed brain lacks the characteristic convolutions of the normal cerebral cortex and is abnormally thick
Treatment of individuals with lissencephaly depends on the manifesting symptoms. Patients may need anticonvulsant drug therapy for treatment of seizures. Muscle relaxants may be used for symptoms of increased tone
Management of lissencephaly usually involves a pediatrician, pediatric neurologist , and physical therapists. A geneticist may be involved to provide counseling and advice about family planning