Auditory rehabilitation for interaural asymmetry: Preliminary evidence of improved dichotic listening performance following intensive training

Abstract

Children with dichotic left ear deficits received intensive training in phase I and phase II clinical trials designed to establish the efficacy of directly training dichotic listening. Dichotic verbal material was presented in the sound field with intensity adjusted separately for each speaker. Output from the right-sided speaker was initially 20-30 db HL lower than for the left-sided speaker, resulting in excellent performance in the left ear. Intensities were adaptively adjusted throughout training in 1, 2, and 5-dB steps in order to keep performance high across dichotic tasks. In both phase I (n=8) and phase II (n=13) trials, children demonstrated significant gains in dichotic left ear performance after training. In phase II, children also demonstrated significant gains in right ear performance. Overall results from the two trials support the feasibility of this training approach for improving a larger than normal interaural asymmetry on dichotic listening tasks. Significant improvements in language comprehension and word recognition in phase II suggest that this type of training may also facilitate language skills in some children.

Auditive training effects from a dichotic listening app in children with dyslexia

“…As pointed out earlier, DL training effects have been seen in typical adults (Bless et al, ; Soveri et al, ; Tallus et al, ) and in children from 7 to 13 years old (Moncrieff & Wertz, ). One may speculate that these training results could be exploited further both by a longer training period and/or experimenting with sound as to intensity and frequency, as reported by Moncrieff and Wertz (). Moreover, DL training could be carried out in combination with literacy training.…”

“…First, the switch of lateralisation pattern in the NF condition after just 5 days of training is encouraging. It could be a first step to open up for an effect of the forced conditions by more DL training, it could be quantitatively by longer training period, or qualitatively by intensified sound as described by Moncrieff and Wertz (). Second, the training increased the ASI scores in more than half of the children with dyslexia.…”

An auditory-neuroscience perspective on the development of selective mutism

“…As abnormal efferent function can be documented non-invasively by means of reliable and accurate clinical audiological tools, children with SM could be tested and their specific auditory deficits could then be treated. Children with auditory processing disorders, for example, have been offered deficit-specific training protocols in an attempt to stimulate neuroplasticity in auditory pathways, with some success (e.g., Bellis, 2003;Moncrieff and Wertz, 2008). For children with SM, graded exposure to one's own voice via headphones, subsequent addition of background noise, and simulation of speech in social situations precipitating the speech-avoidance behavior, may facilitate auditory processing during vocalization, and ameliorate communicative dysfunction.…”

Central auditory processing disorders in children and adults

“…For example, Moncrieff and Wertz (2008) administered a quasi-dichotic listening therapy to 8 (experiment 1) and 13 (experiment 2) children with diagnosed CAPD. For example, Moncrieff and Wertz (2008) administered a quasi-dichotic listening therapy to 8 (experiment 1) and 13 (experiment 2) children with diagnosed CAPD.…”