Abstract
Abstract There are evidences that indicate a relationship between auditory processing disorders and stuttering. The aim of the study was to evaluate central auditory processing in stuttering children and to compare the findings with those of normal fluent children. Twenty stuttering school-age children of both sexes were included in the study. A control group included 20 age-matched and sex-matched nonstuttering children. Full informed consent from all participants was taken before initiating the study. All participants were subjected to the following central auditory processing tests: pitch pattern sequence test (PPST), dichotic digit test (DDT), speech in noise test (children version) (SPIN), auditory fusion test revised (AFT-R), and binaural masking level difference (MLD) test. All patients were subjected to stuttering severity instrument III to assess their stuttering and its severity. The stuttering group scored significantly poorer in the PPST, DDT, and SPIN, whereas they scored similar to the control group in MLD and AFT-R. There was no correlation between the severity of stuttering and the performance on the central auditory processing tests. Stuttering children have an intact brain stem integrity shown by the normal MLD and an intact right hemisphere as signified by the normal right and left ear difference in the DDT and by the improvement in the PPST on humming. Left hemisphere deficit appears in more complicated tasks such as PPST, DDT, and SPIN, but not in simple tasks such as AFT-R. We can conclude that the deficit is within the left cerebral hemisphere. The effect of the usage of central auditory processing disorder rehabilitation programs on those children should further be assessed.
Highlights
Stuttering is a developmental disorder affecting speech fluency
A selective Central auditory processing (CAP) test battery was run on children to assess the different auditory processing abilities; pitch pattern sequence test (PPST), dichotic digit test (DDT), speech in noise test (SPIN), and masking level difference (MLD) test were performed before their admission to speech therapy
As for the auditory fusion test revised (AFT-R) (Fig. 4) and MLD (Fig. 5), both groups showed no significant differences in performance across all the tested frequencies (Table 2)
Summary
Stuttering is a developmental disorder affecting speech fluency. It is present in 5% of preschool-age children and in 1% of the adult population [1].Stuttering is an involuntary disruption in fluency; it is characterized by abnormal frequency or duration of interruptions in the flow of speech, namely repetitions, prolongations, and blocks [2]. Stuttering is a developmental disorder affecting speech fluency. It is present in 5% of preschool-age children and in 1% of the adult population [1]. Smith and Kelly [3] propose a nonlinear multifactorial model of stuttering, which incorporates the complex relationship of many factors that can influence stuttering and their compounded and interactive effects on the speech motor system. Patients and methods Twenty stuttering school-age children of both sexes were included in the study. All participants were subjected to the following central auditory processing tests: pitch pattern sequence test (PPST), dichotic digit test (DDT), speech in noise test (children version) (SPIN), auditory fusion test revised (AFT-R), and binaural masking level difference (MLD) test. All patients were subjected to stuttering severity instrument III to assess their stuttering and its severity
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
