![]() As an example, some European countries are still in the process of standardizing their auditory processing test battery or attempting to optimize inclusion of imaging in diagnostics. Specialized clinics providing diagnosis and management of APD are scarce in most countries. The increased interest has not yet translated into availability of clinical evaluation services. Internationally, there is a marked increase in interest of pediatric auditory processing disorder (APD)-also known as Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)-with a fourfold rise in published research during the last decade (Scopus database). Auditory processing evaluation is known to tap into the physiological function and integrity of the Central Auditory Nervous System (CANS) providing more comprehensive information about the integrity of the entire auditory system and the functional hearing status of a child. ![]() Auditory processing test batteries should be employed in these cases to more fully evaluate hearing in an ecological manner and fully examine how well the child hears outside the ideal conditions of the audiology lab. ![]() However, relying on such a test battery to measure auditory function in the setting of school or playground in children referred for auditory processing deficits is incomplete ( 1). The audiological test battery must be built around the pure tone audiogram and may include tympanometry, stapedial reflexes, auditory brainstem responses, and otoacoustic emissions. Hearing acuity may be difficult to assess in children and does not always reflect how a child “hears” in everyday life. These five misconceptions are described and rebutted using published data as well as critical thinking on current available knowledge on APD. The misconceptions discussed are (1) the disorder cannot be diagnosed due to the lack of a gold standard diagnostic test (2) making generalizations based on profiles of children suspected of APD and not diagnosed with the disorder (3) it is best to discard an APD diagnosis when another disorder is present (4) arguing that the known link between auditory perception and higher cognition function precludes the validity of APD as a clinical entity and (5) APD is not a clinical entity. This perspective article presents five common misconceptions of APD that contribute to inappropriate or limited management in children experiencing these deficits. Despite the marked increase in research on pediatric APD, there remains limited access to proper evaluation worldwide. This practice is inappropriate when evaluating the difficulties children experiencing auditory processing disorder (APD) in school or on the playground. Pediatric hearing evaluation based on pure tone audiometry does not always reflect how a child hears in everyday life.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |