[Diagnosis of auditory processing disorders in children]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Audiology
• Neuroscience
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• A significant percentage of children exhibit difficulties in speech comprehension despite normal hearing thresholds.
• This suggests the presence of an underlying auditory processing disorder (APD).

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current literature on auditory processing disorders (APD) in children.
• To discuss the diagnostic challenges and interdisciplinary approach required for APD.

Main Methods:

• A selective literature search was conducted in PubMed and Scopus databases.
• The search term used was "auditory processing disorder" to identify relevant consensus papers and studies.

Main Results:

• Studies on APD present partially contradictory findings, raising questions about the validity and reliability of specific diagnostic methods.
• There is ongoing critical discussion regarding the construct of APD itself.

Conclusions:

• Accurate diagnosis and management of APD require a deep understanding of psychometric properties of tests.
• Otorhinolaryngologists, phoniatrists, and pediatric audiologists must be aware of current debates surrounding APD.
• Diagnosis of APD is typically an intricate, multistep, interdisciplinary process.