Patient's question:
The baby is 6 years old. A few months ago, he was diagnosed with epilepsy. He used to be very lively, but recently he hasn't been talking. Why do some children with epilepsy lose the ability to speak?Doctor's answer:
First, let's understand aphasia. Aphasia refers to the loss of the ability to understand and use language. Brain damage can impair or even destroy the abilities to speak, hear, read, and write. Language functions are controlled by one hemisphere of the brain, known as the language-dominant hemisphere, with language centers located in the left temporal lobe and adjacent frontal lobe. If abnormal discharges during frequent epilepsy seizures affect the brain's language centers, aphasia may occur.