[Identification of auditory laterality by means of a new dichotic digit test in Spanish, and body laterality and spatial orientation in children with dyslexia and in controls].
BACKGROUND
In this study, a new dichotic digit test in Spanish (NDDTS) was applied in order to identify auditory laterality. We also evaluated body laterality and spatial location using the Subirana test.


METHODS
Both the dichotic test and the Subirana test for body laterality and spatial location were applied in a group of 40 children with dyslexia and in a control group made up of 40 children who were paired according to age and gender. The results of the three evaluations were analysed using the SPSS 10 software application, with Pearson's chi-squared test.


RESULTS
It was seen that 42.5% of the children in the group of dyslexics had mixed auditory laterality, compared to 7.5% in the control group (p < or = 0.05). Body laterality was mixed in 25% of dyslexic children and in 2.5% in the control group (p < or = 0.05) and there was 72.5% spatial disorientation in the group of dyslexics, whereas only 15% (p < or = 0.05) was found in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The NDDTS proved to be a useful tool for demonstrating that mixed auditory laterality and auditory predominance of the left ear are linked to dyslexia. The results of this test exceed those obtained for body laterality. Spatial orientation is indeed altered in children with dyslexia. The importance of this finding makes it necessary to study the central auditory processes in all cases in order to define better rehabilitation strategies in Spanish-speaking children.
Olivares-García
M R
MR
Instituto de la Comunicación Humana, Centro de Ciencias Aplicadas y Desarrollo Tecnológico, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México DF, Mexico.
Peñaloza-López
Y R
YR
García-Pedroza
F
F
Jesús-Pérez
S
S
Uribe-Escamilla
R
R
Jiménez-de la Sancha
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001308:Auditory Perceptual Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004007:Dichotic Listening Tests; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D004410:Dyslexia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*