Assessment of auditory processing disorder in children using an adaptive filtered speech test

Abstract

Objective: One type of test commonly used to assess Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) is the 'filtered words test' (FWT), in which a monaural, low-redundancy speech sample is distorted by using filtering to modify its frequency content. One limitation of the various existing FWTs is that they are performed using a constant level of low-pass filtering, making them prone to ceiling and floor effects that compromise their efficiency and accuracy. A recently developed computer-based test, the University of Canterbury Adaptive Speech Test -Filtered Words (UCAST-FW), uses an adaptive procedure intended to improve the efficiency and sensitivity of the test over its constant-level counterparts. Design:The UCAST-FW was administered to school-aged children to investigate the ability of the test to distinguish between children with and without APD.Study Sample: Fifteen children aged 7-13 diagnosed with APD, and an aged-matched control group of 10 children with no history of listening difficulties.Results: Data obtained demonstrates a significant difference between the UCAST-FW results obtained by children with APD and those with normal auditory processing. Conclusions:These findings provide evidence that the UCAST-FW may discriminate between children with and without APD with greater sensitivity than its constant-level counterparts.3

Characteristics of Pediatric Performance on a Test Battery Commonly Used in the Diagnosis of Central Auditory Processing Disorder

“…This may be most relevant in the case of LPFS, as the filters applied to the stimuli on Willeford's version of the test tend to vary quite a bit from other versions of LPFS tests. In addition, some recent studies of children's performance on LPFS measures have suggested that adaptive LPFS tests that look at how much redundancy is needed to achieve a certain percent correct criterion may be a better indicator of monaural low redundancy deficits (O'Beirne et al, 2012;Rickard et al, 2013). Specifically, these studies have shown that children with central auditory processing issues tend to require a low-pass filter setting that is higher in frequency to achieve criterion when compared with children without deficits.…”

Measuring Auditory Discrimination Thresholds in Preschool Children: An Empirically Based Analysis

“…The most successful approach from our results, the weighted 75%, has been used with children as young as 7-years-old (e.g. Rickard, Heidtke, & O'Beirne, 2013), whereas younger children, who are likely to be most variable in their attentiveness, have been tested only with transformed staircase procedures (e.g. from 4years-old; Law, Vandermosten, Ghesquiere, & Wouters, 2017;Banai & Yifat, 2011;Wang, Chen, Chiang, Lai, & Tsao, 2016).…”

“…The transformed procedure targeting the 79% correct point has also been used with children as young as 4 years old (Banai & Yifat, 2011;Wang, Chen, Chiang, Lai, & Tsao, 2016). However, the weighted up-down procedure, using the 1-up 1-down step rule, has only been used with children 7 years old and older (Rickard, Heidtke, & O'Beirne, 2013). It is worth noting that the reliability of the thresholds estimated in these studies was not assessed.…”

Assistive and Therapeutic Effects of Amplification for Auditory Processing Disorder

“…They have difficulty when speech is rapid; degraded by distance, acoustic conditions, or accent; when information streams are complex or lengthy; and when competing sounds are present. 11,12 It follows that suitable amplification can be helpful to them in many aspects of their lives, not just in school.…”