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Electrophysiological Screening for Children With Suspected Auditory Processing Disorder: A Systematic Review
Panting Liu1, Huiqin Zhu2, Mingxia Chen1
1School of Nursing, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
Insights
Early identification of auditory processing disorder (APD) in children is crucial. Auditory electrophysiological testing aids in identifying APD characteristics, but further research is needed to validate screening methods.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Neuroscience
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) affects children's ability to interpret sounds.
- Early identification and intervention are vital for managing APD.
- Electrophysiological assessments offer objective measures for auditory pathway function.
Approach:
- Systematic review of electrophysiological studies on children with suspected APD.
- Searched major databases (PubMed, Cochrane, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE) up to May 2020.
- Evaluated 14 studies using established quality assessment tools.
Key Points:
- Seven electrophysiological techniques were identified: ABR, FFR, BI-ABR, MLR, CAEP, MMN, and P300.
- Electrophysiological tests can characterize auditory processing in children.
- Moderate quality of the reviewed literature was noted.
Conclusions:
- Auditory electrophysiological testing is valuable for identifying APD characteristics in children.
- Further investigation is required to determine the efficacy of specific electrophysiological methods for APD screening.
- Enhanced understanding of APD through objective measures can guide clinical practice.
Abstract:
Objective: This research aimed to provide evidence for the early identification and intervention of children at risk for auditory processing disorder (APD). Electrophysiological studies on children with suspected APDs were systematically reviewed to understand the different electrophysiological characteristics of children with suspected APDs. Methods: Computerized databases such as PubMed, Cochrane, MEDLINE, Web of Science, and EMBASE were searched for retrieval of articles since the establishment of the database through May 18, 2020. Cohort, case-control, and cross-sectional studies that evaluated the literature for the electrophysiological assessment of children with suspected APD were independently reviewed by two researchers for literature screening, literature quality assessment, and data extraction. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and 11 entries recommended by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality were used to evaluate the quality of the literature. Results: In accordance with the inclusion criteria, 14 articles were included. These articles involved 7 electrophysiological testing techniques: click-evoked auditory brainstem responses, frequency-following responses, the binaural interaction component of the auditory brainstem responses, the middle-latency response, cortical auditory evoked potential, mismatch negativity, and P300. The literature quality was considered moderate. Conclusions: Auditory electrophysiological testing can be used for the characteristic identification of children with suspected APD; however, the value of various electrophysiological testing methods for screening children with suspected APD requires further study.
