Contralateral suppression of otoacoustic emissions in children with specific language impairment.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of the investigation was to determine whether a group of children with specific language impairments (SLI) have reduced peripheral auditory processes thought to be associated with speech-in-noise intelligibility.


METHODS
Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE) and their suppression by the efferent activity of the medial olivocochlear system (MOCS) in response to contralateral acoustic stimulation were used to compare these processes in 18 children with SLI and 21 controls.


RESULTS
The results revealed no group difference in TEOAE suppression effect or left/right asymmetry of TEOAE suppression effect.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that children with SLI do not have auditory processing problems at this peripheral level casting doubt on a hypothesized relationship between strength of MOCS activity and language impairment.
Clarke
Elaine M
EM
School of Psychological Sciences, the University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom. elaine.clarke@manchester.ac.uk
Ahmmed
Ansar
A
Parker
David
D
Adams
Catherine
C
D001308:Auditory Perceptual Disorders / Q000150:complications; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007806:Language Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017084:Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / Q000502:physiology*; D010470:Perceptual Masking / Q000502:physiology; D011594:Psychometrics; D013063:Speech Discrimination Tests; D013065:Speech Intelligibility / Q000502:physiology*