Achados auditivos periféricos e centrais em crianças com transtornos da comunicação

Abstract

Introduction: Communication disorders include impairments in language and speech. Knowing the close relationship between hearing and language and speech development, hearing tests can be used in an attempt to assist in the early identification and therapeutic process of children with these disorders. Objective: To investigate the acoustic stapedial reflex (ASR) responses in children with a diagnostic hypothesis of developmental language disorder (DLD) and phonological disorder (PD), as well as to verify the characteristics of the cortical auditory evoked potential (CAEP) in childhood apraxia of speech (CAS). Method: Dissertation structured in two manuscripts: (1) cross-sectional study in which the sample was composed of subjects with a diagnostic hypothesis of DLD and with a diagnosis of PD. The participants underwent a complete audiological evaluation and, subsequently, the parents answered a questionnaire about their children's development; (2) case report of a male child, with a previous diagnosis of CAS and referred for audiological diagnosis. Complete audiological evaluation and CAEP with speech stimulus were performed. Results: ASR thresholds were found to be increased in both groups, especially in contralateral research. In addition, asymmetry between the ears was observed in the values of latency and amplitude of the CAEP in a clinical case with CAS. Conclusion: Changes in the ASR proved to be prevalent in children with language disorders and, together with the CAEP, they can be biological markers for the early identification of communication disorders, when associated with a complaint of language and / or speech.