Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD) in children with specific language impairment (SLI). Central auditory tests

Beta Spectral Power during Passive Listening in Preschool Children with Specific Language Impairment

INTRODUCTION

Children with specific language impairment (SLI) have difficulties in different speech and language domains. Electrophysiological studies have documented that auditory processing in children with SLI is atypical and probably caused by delayed and abnormal auditory maturation. During the resting state, or different auditory tasks, children with SLI show low or high beta spectral power, which could be a clinical correlate for investigating brain rhythms.

METHODS

The aim of this study was to examine the electrophysiological cortical activity of the beta rhythm while listening to words and nonwords in children with SLI in comparison to typical development (TD) children. The participants were 50 children with SLI, aged 4 and 5 years, and 50 age matched TD children. The children were divided into two subgroups according to age: (1) children 4 years of age; (2) children 5 years of age.

RESULTS

The older group differed from the younger group in beta auditory processing, with increased values of beta spectral power in the right frontal, temporal, and parietal regions. In addition, children with SLI have higher beta spectral power than TD children in the bilateral temporal regions.

CONCLUSION

Complex beta auditory activation in TD and SLI children indicates the presence of early changes in functional brain connectivity.

INTRODUCTION

Children with specific language impairment (SLI) have difficulties in different speech and language domains. Electrophysiological studies have documented that auditory processing in children with SLI is atypical and probably caused by delayed and abnormal auditory maturation. During the resting state, or different auditory tasks, children with SLI show low or high beta spectral power, which could be a clinical correlate for investigating brain rhythms.

METHODS

The aim of this study was to examine the electrophysiological cortical activity of the beta rhythm while listening to words and nonwords in children with SLI in comparison to typical development (TD) children. The participants were 50 children with SLI, aged 4 and 5 years, and 50 age matched TD children. The children were divided into two subgroups according to age: (1) children 4 years of age; (2) children 5 years of age.

RESULTS

The older group differed from the younger group in beta auditory processing, with increased values of beta spectral power in the right frontal, temporal, and parietal regions. In addition, children with SLI have higher beta spectral power than TD children in the bilateral temporal regions.

CONCLUSION

Complex beta auditory activation in TD and SLI children indicates the presence of early changes in functional brain connectivity.

Auditory Brainstem Response Testing in Children with Speech and Language Pathology: A Non-Randomized Observational Study

INTRODUCTION

The aim of this study was to compare auditory brainstem response (ABR) findings of normal-hearing preschool children with different types of speech and language pathology.

METHODS

This retrospective, non-randomized, cohort study was conducted at a tertiary speech and hearing rehabilitation institution according to STROBE guidelines. The study enrolled 123 preschool children diagnosed with speech language pathology and normal hearing. The participants included children with developmental language disorder, autism spectrum disorder, isolated articulation pathology, organic brain lesions, cognitive delay, and a group of very young children with clinically significant speech development delay. All patients underwent standard ABR procedures.

RESULTS

The latencies were the longest in the group of children with organic lesion, followed by the group of children with autism spectrum disorder, then the group with developmental language disorder, and the young children group. In the group of children with articulation pathology and the cognitive delay group, the latencies were the shortest.

CONCLUSION

This study showed a connection between several groups of children with language pathology that includes comprehension problems and prolongation of ABR latencies.

When Developmental Language Disorder Meets Diglossia: A Cross-Sectional Investigation of Listening Comprehension Among Native Arabic-Speaking Preschoolers

Diglossia in the Arabic language refers to the existence of two varieties of the same language: the Spoken Arabic (SA) and the Literary Arabic (LA). This study examined the development of listening comprehension (LC) among diglossic Arabic K1-K3. For this purpose, a large sample of typically developing (TD; N = 210) and developmental language disorder children (DLD; N = 118) were examined using SA and LA texts. The analysis of variance conducted on their performance in LC revealed significant effects of K-level, group (TD vs. DLD) and text affiliation (SA vs. LA): higher scores in TD and in SA. A significant interaction between text affiliation and K-level was observed among the TD but not the DLD group. This interaction indicated that the gap in LC between the SA and LA varieties decreased with age only among TD children. The theoretical and pedagogical implications of these results are discussed.

Impact of Lipid-Inflammatory-Oxidative Metabolism on Auditory Skills after Hearing Aid Fitting in the Elderly

This study aimed to assess whether lipid-inflammatory-oxidative metabolism influences auditory processing skills, and whether they function in changing auditory performance after hearing aid fitting in the elderly. Twelve subjects with bilateral hearing loss were submitted to blood tests (to check their lipid-inflammatory-oxidative metabolism) and auditory processing skill tests. After 3 months of using the hearing aids, their auditory skills were re-evaluated and the data were correlated statistically. Oxidative stress levels mainly showed some impact on auditory temporal processing; such a relation and others should best be examined in further studies with larger populations.

Bilirubin-Induced Audiologic Injury in Preterm Infants

Although hyperbilirubinemia is extremely common among neonates and is usually mild and transient, it sometimes leads to bilirubin-induced neurologic damage (BIND). The auditory pathway is highly sensitive to the effects of elevated total serum/plasma bilirubin (TB) levels, with damage manifesting clinically as auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder. Compared to full-term neonates, preterm neonates are more susceptible to BIND and suffer adverse effects at lower TB levels with worse long-term outcomes. Furthermore, although standardized guidelines for management of hyperbilirubinemia exist for term and late preterm neonates, similar guidelines for neonates less than 35 weeks gestational age are limited.

The role of allophony and frequency in the acquisition of the Hebrew rhotic

This article investigates the role of allophonic variation in phoneme acquisition and the clinical implications of this role. Specifically, we investigate the Hebrew rhotic /ʁ/. We analyse its production by Hebrew-acquiring children in various corpora, comparing the deletion, substitution and production in word-initial onset, intervocalic and word-final coda positions. The results are compared to the frequency of rhotics in a child-directed speech (CDS) corpus and in a Hebrew lexicon analysis. The study shows rhotics are acquired first in word-final codas, then in intervocalic position and finally as word-initial onsets. The order of acquisition, demonstrated by the deletion and substitution patterns, and the actual production of Hebrew rhotics correlate with the degree of allophonic variation. It does not, however, correlate with the frequency patterns observed in CDS and the Hebrew lexicon. Further study of allophonic variation and acquisition should include additional phonemes in Hebrew, as well as other languages.

Audiologic impairment associated with bilirubin-induced neurologic damage

Hyperbilirubinemia occurs commonly in neonates and is usually mild and transient, with no long-lasting sequelae. However, bilirubin-induced neurologic damage may occur in some infants. The auditory pathway is the most sensitive part of the central nervous system to bilirubin-induced toxicity, and permanent sequelae may result from only moderately elevated total serum/plasma bilirubin levels. The damage to the auditory system occurs primarily within the brainstem and cranial nerve VIII, and manifests clinically as auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder.

Studying some elicited verbal prosodic patterns in Egyptian specific language impaired children

BACKGROUND

Prosody is the aspect of language that conveys emotion by changes in tone, rhythm, and emphasis during speech and the term specific language impairment (SLI) refers to children whose language development is substantially below their chronological age, despite a normal nonverbal intelligence and no obvious neurological or physiological impairments, or emotional and/or social difficulties that could impact language use.

PURPOSE

To assess prosodic skills in Arabic speaking children with specific language impairment, in order to answer the question "Are SLI children dysprosodic?" And to be put in consideration while choosing and applying the training procedure hence, qualifies the rehabilitation program.

METHODS

Thirty Egyptian normal children and 30 Egyptian children with specific language impairment (SLI) aged between 4 and 6 years were included in this study and were subjected to psychometric evaluation, audio logical assessment, Arabic language test, articulation test, and assessment protocol of prosody.

RESULTS

Egyptian specific language impaired children have lower prosodic skills scores than control group with positive significant correlation between total language ages of specific language impaired children and total prosodic scores.

CONCLUSION

Egyptian specific language impaired children have dysprosodic skills and the intervention program must include prosodic rehabilitation program in order to achieve higher improvement level.

Efeitos da reabilitação auditiva na habilidade de ordenação temporal em idosos usuários de próteses auditivas

OBJETIVO: Analisar os efeitos de um programa de reabilitação auditiva para a habilidade de ordenação temporal, dos padrões de duração e frequência dos sons, em idosos usuários de próteses auditivas. MÉTODOS: O estudo foi realizado com 17 idosos, com idade entre 60 e 84 anos, distribuídos em Grupo Controle (GC), que somente fez uso das próteses auditivas, e Grupo Estudo (GE), submetido a um programa de reabilitação auditiva, que abrangeu o aconselhamento e treinamento auditivos. Todos os indivíduos foram submetidos a avaliações no momento inicial e final do estudo, por meio dos testes Padrões Sequenciais de Duração e Padrões Sequenciais de Frequência. O período entre as duas avaliações compreendeu sete semanas. RESULTADOS: No teste Padrões Sequenciais de Duração, os sujeitos do GC apresentaram valores médios de acerto nas avaliações inicial e final, na condição murmurado, de 48,64 e 54,43%, e os sujeitos do GE, 60,39 e 76,28%. Na condição nomeado, o GC apresentou 51,93 e 52,43%, e o GE, 63,94 e 77,44%, nas avaliações inicial e final, respectivamente. No teste Padrões Sequenciais de Frequência, os sujeitos do GC apresentaram valores médios de acerto, na condição murmurado, de 80,62 e 79,94%, e os sujeitos do GE, 79,78 e 90,39%. Na condição nomeado, o GC apresentou 82,64 e 84,21%, e o GE, 82,94 e 85,89%, na avaliação inicial e final, respectivamente. Houve diferença apenas para os sujeitos do GE nas condições murmurado e nomeado do teste Padrões Sequenciais de Duração e nomeado do teste Padrões Sequencias de Frequência, indicando valores médios superiores na avaliação final. CONCLUSÃO: O programa de reabilitação auditiva a idosos usuários de próteses auditivas proporciona evolução satisfatória no reconhecimento, ordenação temporal, e nomeação dos padrões de duração e de frequência dos sons.

Relation between language, audio-vocal psycholinguistic abilities and P300 in children having specific language impairment

Specific language impairment is a relatively common developmental condition in which a child fails to develop language at the typical rate despite normal general intellectual abilities, adequate exposure to language, and in the absence of hearing impairments, or neurological or psychiatric disorders. There is much controversy about the extent to which the auditory processing deficits are important in the genesis specific language impairment. The objective of this paper is to assess the higher cortical functions in children with specific language impairment, through assessing neurophysiological changes in order to correlate the results with the clinical picture of the patients to choose the proper rehabilitation training program.

SUBJECTS AND METHOD

This study was carried out on 40 children diagnosed to have specific language impairment and 20 normal children as a control group. All children were subjected to the assessment protocol applied in Kasr El-Aini hospital. They were also subjected to a language test (receptive, expressive and total language items), the audio-vocal items of Illinois test of psycholinguistic (auditory reception, auditory association, verbal expression, grammatical closure, auditory sequential memory and sound blending) as well as audiological assessment that included peripheral audiological and P300 amplitude and latency assessment. The results revealed a highly significant difference in P300 amplitude and latency between specific language impairment group and control group. There is also strong correlations between P300 latency and the grammatical closure, auditory sequential memory and sound blending, while significant correlation between the P300 amplitude and auditory association and verbal expression.

CONCLUSION

Children with specific language impairment, in spite of the normal peripheral hearing, have evidence of cognitive and central auditory processing defects as evidenced by P300 auditory event related potential in the form of prolonged latency which indicate a slow rate of processing and defective memory as evidenced by small amplitude. These findings affect cognitive and language development in specific language impairment children and should be considered during planning the intervention program.

The importance of acoustic reflex for communication

PURPOSE

The purpose of the study was to compare the speech recognition capacity between listeners with and without acoustic reflex using different types of noises and intensities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We studied 18 women allocated to 2 groups: acoustic reflex present (20 ears) and absent (16 ears). They were presented with 180 disyllable words (90 to each ear), emitted randomly at a fixed intensity of 40 dB above the pure tone average hearing level. At the same time, 3 types of noises were presented ipsilaterally (white, pink, and speech), one at a time, at 3 intensities: 40, 50, and 60 dB above the pure tone average hearing level.

RESULTS

The ages and auditory thresholds were statistically equal between the groups. There was a significant difference in mean number of hits between the 2 groups for the 3 types of noises used. There was also a significant difference in mean number of hits for noise type and intensity when white and pink noise was used at 40 and 50 dB and for all the intensities when speech was used.

CONCLUSION

Acoustic reflex helps communication in high-noise environments and is more efficient for speech sounds.

Desempenho de escolares com distúrbio de aprendizagem e dislexia em testes de processamento auditivo

OBJETIVO: caracterizar e comparar, por meio de testes comportamentais, o processamento auditivo de escolares com diagnóstico interdisciplinar de (I) distúrbio da aprendizagem, (II) dislexia e (III) escolares com bom desempenho acadêmico. MÉTODOS: participaram deste estudo 30 escolares na faixa etária de 8 a 16 anos de idade, de ambos os gêneros, de 2ª a 4ª séries do ensino fundamental, divididos em três grupos: GI composto por 10 escolares com diagnóstico interdisciplinar de distúrbio de aprendizagem, GII: composto por 10 escolares com diagnóstico interdisciplinar de dislexia e GIII composto por 10 escolares sem dificuldades de aprendizagem, pareados segundo gênero e faixa etária com os grupos GI e GII. Foram realizadas avaliação audiológica e de processamento auditivo. RESULTADOS: os escolares de GIII apresentaram desempenho superior nos testes de processamento auditivo em relação aos escolares de GI e GII. GI apresentou desempenho inferior nas habilidades auditivas avaliadas para testes dicóticos de dígitos e dissílabos alternados, logoaudiometria pediátrica, localização sonora, memória verbal e não-verbal, ao passo que GII apresentou as mesmas alterações de GI, com exceção do teste de logoaudiometria pediátrica. CONCLUSÃO: os escolares com transtornos de aprendizagem apresentaram desempenho inferior nos testes de processamento auditivo, sendo que os escolares com distúrbio de aprendizagem apresentaram maior número de habilidades auditivas alteradas, em comparação com os escolares com dislexia, por terem apresentado atenção sustentada reduzida. O grupo de escolares com dislexia apresentou alterações decorrentes da dificuldade relacionada à codificação e decodificação de estímulos sonoros.

Effects of listening ability on speaking, writing and reading skills of children who were suspected of auditory processing difficulty

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of listening ability on speaking, writing and reading skills of children who was suspected of auditory processing difficulty (APD).

METHOD

This research was conducted with 67 children in 1st or 2nd grade of primary school. The first group (Group I-control) was comprised of 41 children without APD. The second group (Group II-study group) was comprised of 26 children with APD. Listening, speaking, reading and writing skills were evaluated by Observational Rating Scale (ORS) and analyzed in both groups.

RESULTS

Listening value of ORS in APD group was significantly lower; and, speaking, reading and writing values of ORS in APD group were significantly higher than control group (p=0.000). It was also found that, the main effect of listening skills was on speaking in normal childs, and on writing ability in children with APD.

CONCLUSION

It was concluded that, for school-aged children, APD can lead to or is associated with difficulties in written language.

Hyperbilirubinemia and language delay in premature infants

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to evaluate whether language delay at 3 years in premature infants is associated with previous exposure to hyperbilirubinemia during the first 2 weeks after birth.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective case-control study of infants admitted to the NICU between January and October 2003. Inclusion criteria included a birth weight of < or =1500 g and follow-up to age 3 years. Exclusion criteria included genetic disorders and hearing loss or recurrent ear infections. Peak total serum bilirubin levels during the first 2 weeks and duration of hyperbilirubinemia (days with total serum bilirubin level at >8 mg/dL) were determined. Infants with language delay and who were receiving speech therapy by 3 years were identified through developmental clinic charts and a tracking program and compared with infants who had normal language development.

RESULTS

A total of 125 infants with birth weight of < or =1500 g were admitted to the NICU between January and October 2003. Fifteen infants died, and 110 were discharged from the hospital. A total of 102 (93%) of 110 infants had follow-up to the age of 3 years. Four infants were excluded (1 genetic disorder, 3 delayed hearing loss or recurrent ear infections). Twenty-four infants had a language delay and received speech therapy, whereas 74 infants had normal language development. There was no significant difference in peak total serum bilirubin level and duration of hyperbilirubinemia between the 2 groups. On logistic regression, only bronchopulmonary dysplasia was associated with language delay.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperbilirubinemia, defined as peak total serum bilirubin level or duration of elevated bilirubin in days, is not associated with language delay in premature infants. However, this issue deserves investigation, because other measures of bilirubin, such as unbound bilirubin, may be associated with language delay.