M Ptok1. 1. Klinik und Poliklinik für Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover. Ptok.martin@MH-Hannover.de
Abstract
BACKGROUND: As unanimously found in several consensus papers, other conditions such as learning disorders need to be ruled out prior to labelling a child as having an auditory processing disorder (APD). METHODS: In a retrospective study data from 386 children (245 boys, 141 girls) aged 6;0-9;11 years were investigated. All children were referred for behavioural problems suspected to be due to APD. The German auditory verbal learning test (Verbaler Lern- und Merkfähigkeitstest, VLMT) was administered. Results in a range of more than one/two standard deviations from the mean were regarded as deviant/pathological, while a test result under 15.8 was considered below normal. RESULTS: The VLMT short term component was impaired in 202 children, the long term component (loss after interference) in 83 children and the recognition component in 298 children. DISCUSSION: Compared with previously published results, our results suggest that approximately half of all children referred for APD diagnosis suffer from short-term memory deficit. We suggest the VLMT, and thus testing of short- and long-term memory skills, be administered routinely for thorough APD assessments.
BACKGROUND: As unanimously found in several consensus papers, other conditions such as learning disorders need to be ruled out prior to labelling a child as having an auditory processing disorder (APD). METHODS: In a retrospective study data from 386 children (245 boys, 141 girls) aged 6;0-9;11 years were investigated. All children were referred for behavioural problems suspected to be due to APD. The German auditory verbal learning test (Verbaler Lern- und Merkfähigkeitstest, VLMT) was administered. Results in a range of more than one/two standard deviations from the mean were regarded as deviant/pathological, while a test result under 15.8 was considered below normal. RESULTS: The VLMT short term component was impaired in 202 children, the long term component (loss after interference) in 83 children and the recognition component in 298 children. DISCUSSION: Compared with previously published results, our results suggest that approximately half of all children referred for APD diagnosis suffer from short-term memory deficit. We suggest the VLMT, and thus testing of short- and long-term memory skills, be administered routinely for thorough APD assessments.