(Central) auditory processing in schoolers in initial literacy grades

To characterize and compare behavioral tests of central auditory processing of schoolers of initial grades in two stages, test and retest; and correlate the variables age and gender with the results of these tests.

Cohort, analytical, observational, longitudinal and prospective study; developed in a public school. The sample included 36 schoolers, divided into two groups considering the schooling: G1- Thirteen children of first grade and G2- Twenty-three children of second grade. The inclusion criteria were audiological assessment within normality patterns and being enrolled in the first or second year of elementary school and, as exclusion criteria, presence of neurological, cognitive and behavioral disorders. The audiological assessment and application of the behavioral tests of central auditory processing occurred in two different moments, with an interval of six months, called test and retest.

The test with the highest prevalence of change, in both steps and groups, was Dichotic Digits. It is noteworthy that no schoolers from G1 and some from G2 understood RGDT at the test stage and that even after six months this difficulty remained in both groups. In the retest stage, a significant improvement was noticed in the schoolers' performance of both groups. It was still noticed a correlation between the age variable and dichotic digits test in the left ear in both stages.

There was a high incidence of alteration in the tests and, a performance improvement was noticed in the retest stage, mainly in the tests of sound localization, dichotic digits and RGDT.