title: Correlation between language impairment and problems in motor development in children with rolandic epilepsy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An association between impaired school performance and rolandic epilepsy is frequently reported. Language outcome, in particular, seems to be affected, although rolandic epilepsy originates from the motor-sensory cortex. In this study we tried to find a correlation between locomotion problems and language impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this noncontrolled, open, clinical cohort study of 48 children with rolandic epilepsy, a 24-hour EEG and a neuropsychological assessment were obtained for all children.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Children with rolandic epilepsy had a significant delay in reading skills (reading words: mean=6 months, SD=11.9, P<0.002; reading sentences: mean=8.6 months, SD=12.7, P<0.001), compared with the healthy population. There was a significant correlation between problems in motor development and delays in reading skills (reading words: r=-0.426, P=0.006; reading sentences: r=-0.343, P=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reading performance is impaired in children with rolandic epilepsy. Reading of sentences is more impaired than reading of words. There is a significant correlation between problems in motor development and language, suggesting their interaction at the level of the cortex.
authors.affiliation: Epilepsy Center Kempenhaeghe, Heeze, The Netherlands. OvervlietG@kempenhaeghe.nl
authors.forename: Geke M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Overvliet
authors.forename: Albert P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Aldenkamp
authors.forename: Sylvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klinkenberg
authors.forename: Joost
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nicolai
authors.forename: Johan S H
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Vles
authors.forename: René M H
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Besseling
authors.forename: Walter
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Backes
authors.forename: Jacobus F A
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Hofman
authors.forename: Jos
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hendriksen
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D002648:Child; D004569:Electroencephalography; D019305:Epilepsy, Rolandic / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011932:Reading; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric