Central auditory processing and attention deficit disorders

Nineteen children who met criteria for attention deficit disorder (ADD) received neurodevelopmental attention testing and central auditory processing (CAP) tests. The CAP tests consisted of the Staggered Spondaic Word (SSW) test and the Willeford battery of tests. Teacher and parent questionnaires (originally devised at the Learning Disabilities Clinic, The Children's Hospital, Boston) were obtained. There was a very high concordance between the questionnaires and the CAP tests, but a low concordance between the neurodevelopmental measures and the questionnaires. After treatment with central nervous system stimulants, there was again a high concordance between teacher/parent reports and CAP measures, and less than 50% concordance between neurodevelopmental measures and teacher/parent observations. We conclude that the SSW and Willeford battery are sensitive performance indicators of attention disorder. Furthermore, these tests are more useful in titrating response to CNS stimulants than neurodevelopmental assessments and provide objective support for the subjective teacher and parent observations.