Effects of an Auditory Lateralization Training in Children Suspected to Central Auditory Processing Disorder.
OBJECTIVE
Central auditory processing disorder [(C)APD] refers to a deficit in auditory stimuli processing in nervous system that is not due to higher-order language or cognitive factors. One of the problems in children with (C)APD is spatial difficulties which have been overlooked despite their significance. Localization is an auditory ability to detect sound sources in space and can help to differentiate between the desired speech from other simultaneous sound sources. Aim of this research was investigating effects of an auditory lateralization training on speech perception in presence of noise/competing signals in children suspected to (C)APD.


METHODS
In this analytical interventional study, 60 children suspected to (C)APD were selected based on multiple auditory processing assessment subtests. They were randomly divided into two groups: control (mean age 9.07) and training groups (mean age 9.00). Training program consisted of detection and pointing to sound sources delivered with interaural time differences under headphones for 12 formal sessions (6 weeks). Spatial word recognition score (WRS) and monaural selective auditory attention test (mSAAT) were used to follow the auditory lateralization training effects.


RESULTS
This study showed that in the training group, mSAAT score and spatial WRS in noise (p value≤0.001) improved significantly after the auditory lateralization training.


CONCLUSIONS
We used auditory lateralization training for 6 weeks and showed that auditory lateralization can improve speech understanding in noise significantly. The generalization of this results needs further researches.
Audiology Department, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Yones
Y
Lotfi
Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abdollah
A
Moosavi
Audiology Department, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Farzaneh Zamiri
FZ
Abdollahi
Biostatistics Department, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Enayatollah
E
Bakhshi
Engineering Faculty, Shahed University, Tehran, Iran.
Hamed
H
Sadjedi
Central auditory processing; Sound lateralization; Speech in noise; Training