Central Auditory Processing Deficit in Children Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Abstract

Purpose: The study aims to check the presence of auditory processing deficit in children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.Methods: A total of 10 subjects within the age range of 6-10 years diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder were recruited for the study. Buffalo model questionnaire (child form) for CAPD was given to the parents of the children with autism and scores were noted. Auditory cognition which is a sub category of auditory processing was assessed for each subject with the help of Angel sound software version 5.08.03 by Emily Shannon Fu Foundation. Forward digit test was done and the auditory memory of the participant was checked. The result obtained from the subjective perception of parents and objective evaluation was compared and the correlation was checked.Results: The questionnaire given to the parents had different subsections and questions included in the category of memory revealed poor scores. Similarly, the scores obtained for forward digit test was reduced for the children diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder when compared to the normative given by the software. The children were able to memorize maximum of only 3 digits.Conclusions: It can be concluded that there is a relation between and subjective perception of parents of children with autism and objective evaluation of auditory processing. In our study, the scores for auditory cognition test are reduced for children with autism. Autistic people with auditory processing disorders can hear, but they have difficulty understanding what they hear. Auditory processing disorder is a crucial pathology of the autistic disorder.