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Updated: Jul 3, 2026
09:38
Quantitative Assessment of Cortical Auditory-tactile Processing in Children with Disabilities
Published on: January 29, 2014
Understanding auditory processing disorders.
Fulya Yalçinkaya1, Robert Keith
1Division of Audiology and Speech Pathology, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
|July 31, 2008
Summary
Auditory processing disorders (APD) affect children
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Audiology
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Auditory processing disorders (APD) involve difficulties in interpreting auditory information despite normal hearing.
- Children with APD struggle with speech comprehension, especially in noisy environments or with rapid speech.
- Behaviors like inattention and difficulty following directions can mimic other disorders such as attention deficit disorders (ADD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the nature of auditory processing disorders (APD) in children.
- To enhance clinical awareness of APD and its diagnostic challenges.
- To differentiate APD from attention deficit disorders (ADD) using auditory processing tests.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on auditory processing disorders.
- Analysis of behavioral indicators associated with APD in children.
- Discussion of diagnostic methodologies for differentiating APD and ADD.
Main Results:
- Children with APD exhibit specific listening challenges not explained by peripheral hearing loss.
- Similarities in behavioral symptoms between APD and ADD necessitate careful differential diagnosis.
- Auditory processing tests are crucial for accurate identification of APD.
Conclusions:
- Auditory processing disorders present unique challenges in childhood that require specialized diagnostic approaches.
- Distinguishing APD from ADD is essential for appropriate intervention and support.
- Increased clinical awareness of APD can lead to earlier and more accurate diagnoses.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Auditory Pathway
Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...
01:31Hearing
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
01:21Perceiving Loudness, Pitch, and Location
The human brain perceives pitch through two primary mechanisms reflected in place theory and frequency theory. Each mechanism describes how sound waves are interpreted as specific pitches by the brain, offering insights into the intricate processes of auditory perception.
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
Place theory, or place coding, suggests that different pitches are heard because various sound waves activate specific locations along the cochlea's basilar membrane. The brain determines the pitch of a sound by identifying...
01:17Auditory Perception
The auditory system is essential for sound perception, utilizing various critical structures. When sound waves enter the outer ear, they travel through the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted to the middle ear, where three tiny bones – the malleus, incus, and stapes – amplify the sound. This amplification is crucial, as it ensures that the sound vibrations are strong enough to be conveyed to the inner ear. These vibrations then reach the cochlea, a...
01:01Perception of Sound Waves
The human ear is not equally sensitive to all frequencies in the audible range. It may perceive sound waves with the same pressure but different frequencies as having different loudness. Moreover, the perception of sound waves depends on the health of an individual's ears, which decays with age. The health of one's ears may also be affected by regular exposure to loud noises.
The pitch of a sound depends on the frequency and the pressure amplitude of the source. Two sounds of the same frequency...
The pitch of a sound depends on the frequency and the pressure amplitude of the source. Two sounds of the same frequency...
01:13The Cochlea
The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.