[Intensive inpatient therapy of auditory processing and perceptual disorders in childhood].
PRELIMINARY REMARKS: The prevalence of central auditory processing disorders (CAPD) is supposed to be 2-3% of all children. Given the number of affected children and restricted resources in the public health there is a need for an effective and evaluated therapeutic approaches. On the other hand the number of outcome studies is remarkably small.


METHODS
The presented study reports strategies and pitfalls in outcome measurements of 34 children with CAPD, based upon a 3-weeks indoor therapeutic intervention. Diagnostic criteria of auditory processing and perception were recorded before and after therapy.


RESULTS
The data shows a highly significant improvement of certain perceptive abilities, including audiological parameters (dichotic testing, discrimination, loudness scaling) and awareness, psycholinguistic development and orthographic tests.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrates that an effective therapy of CAPD in children is possible and scientifically proven. Long term surveillance however seems to be necessary. It also has to be studied whether intensive indoor treatment is superior or equal to out clinic therapy.
Hesse
G
G
Tinnitus-Klinik Arolsen, Ohr- und Hörinstitut Hesse(n). GHesse@Tinnitus-Klinik.de
Nelting
M
M
Mohrmann
B
B
Laubert
A
A
Ptok
M
M
D001308:Auditory Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D010343:Patient Admission; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012073:Remedial Teaching