Procedures for central auditory processing screening in schoolchildren

Publication date: Available online 22 March 2018
Source:Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology
Author(s): Nádia Giulian de Carvalho, Thalita Ubiali, Maria Isabel Ramos do Amaral, Maria Francisca Colella Santos
IntroductionCentral auditory processing (CAP) screening in schoolchildren has led to debates in literature, both regarding the protocol to be used and the importance of actions aimed at prevention and promotion of auditory health. Defining effective screening procedures for central auditory processing is a challenge in Audiology.ObjectiveThis study aimed to analyze the scientific research on central auditory processing screening and discuss the effectiveness of the procedures utilized.MethodsA search was performed in the SciELO and PUBMed databases by two researchers. The descriptors used in Portuguese and English were: auditory processing, screening, hearing, auditory perception, children, auditory tests and their respective terms in Portuguese. Inclusion criteria: original articles involving schoolchildren, auditory screening of central auditory skills and articles in Portuguese or English. Exclusion criteria: studies with adult and/or neonatal populations, peripheral auditory screening only, and duplicate articles. After applying the described criteria, 11 articles were included.ResultsAt the international level, central auditory processing screening methods used were: Screening Test for Auditory Processing Disorder (SCAN) and its revised version (SCAN-C), Screening Test for Auditory Processing (STAP), Scale of Auditory Behaviors (SAB), Children's Auditory Performance Scale (CHAPS) and Feather Squadron. In the Brazilian scenario, the procedures used were the Simplified Auditory Processing Assessment (ASPA) and Zaidan's battery of tests.ConclusionAt the international level, the STAP and Feather Squadron batteries stand out as the most comprehensive evaluation of hearing skills. At the national level, there is a paucity of studies that use methods evaluating more than four skills, and are normalized by age group. The use of ASPA and questionnaires can be complementary in the search for an easy access and low-cost alternative in the auditory screening of Brazilian schoolchildren. Interactive tools should be proposed, that allow the selection of as many hearing skills as possible, validated by comparison with the battery of tests used in the diagnosis.



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