Development of central auditory processes in Polish children and adolescents at the age from 7 to 16 years

There are discrepancies in the literature regarding the course of central auditory processes (CAP) maturation in typically developing children and adolescents. The purpose of the study was to provide an overview of age - related improvement in CAP in Polish primary and secondary school students aged 7–16 years. 180 children/adolescents, subdivided into 9 age categories, and 20 adults (aged 18-24 years) performed the Dichotic Digit Test (DDT), Duration Pattern Test (DPT), Frequency Pattern Test (FPT), Gap Detection Test (GDT) and adaptive Speech-in-Noise (aSpN). The 12-year-olds was retested after w week. We found the age effects only for the DDT, DPT and FPT. In the right ear DDT the 7-year-olds performed more poorly than all groups ≥12. In the left ear DDT both 7- and 8-year-olds achieved less correct responses compared with the 13-, 14-, 15- year-olds and with the adults. The right ear advantage was greater in the 7-year-olds than in the 15-year-olds and adult group. At the age of 7 there was lower DPT and FPT scores than in all participants ≥13 whereas the 8-year-olds obtained less correct responses in the FPT than all age categories ≥12. Almost all groups (except for the 7-year-olds) performed better in the DPT than FPT. The test-retest reliability for all tests was satisfactory. The study demonstrated that different CAP have their own patterns of improvement with age and some of them are specific for the Polish population. The psychoacoustic battery may be useful in screening for CAP disorders in Poland

Quality of life of families with a young deaf child in the domain of the received social support and social relations from the mothers’ perspective (FQOLS-2006)

Na jakość życia rodziny z dzieckiem głuchym ma wpływ obecność głuchoty u jednego lub więcej jej członków. Szczególnie ważne jest dla tych rodzin wsparcie społeczne oraz wsparcie w ramach specjalistycznych usług. Jednakże wiadomo, że rodziny z dziećmi niepełnosprawnymi doświadczają niskiej jakości życia, zwłaszcza jeśli chodzi o relacje w społeczności lokalnej i wsparcie od innych osób spoza najbliższej rodziny, tj. od dalszej rodziny (krewni) oraz bliższego i dalszego otoczenia społecznego (przyjaciół, znajomych). W artykule wykorzystano wyniki badań 50 rodzin z małymi dziećmi głuchymi w wieku od 6,5 miesiąca do 47 miesięcy z zastosowaniem FQOLS-2006. Analizie poddano odpowiedzi matek na temat trzech dziedzin życia rodzin: wsparcie innych osób, wsparcie w ramach specjalistycznych usług i interakcje społeczne, umieszczone w części A tego kwestionariusza. Okazało się, że badane rodziny w dość niewielkim stopniu angażują się w życie społeczności lokalnej, nie doświadczyły dyskryminacji, otrzymują więcej wsparcia emocjonalnego niż praktycznego zarówno od dalszej rodziny, jak i przyjaciół oraz znajomych. Dalsza rodzina stanowi źródło większego wsparcia emocjonalnego i praktycznego niż znajomi (sąsiedzi). Niewiele spośród badanych rodzin nie ma dostępu do usług specjalistycznych, jakie są im potrzebne w związku ze specjalnymi potrzebami dzieci. Rodziny te wciąż potrzebują różnych form interwencji psychologicznej, aby umiały efektywnie radzić sobie w obszarze relacji społecznych i wsparcia.The quality of life of a family with a deaf child is inevitably affected by the presence of deafness. Social support of any kind including support from disability-related services plays especially important role for these families. Families with children with disabilities experience low quality of life in relation to social interactions and limited support from people other than their close family, i.e. distant relatives, friends and/or neighbours. The study included 50 families with a deaf child aged between 6.5 and 47 months. The FQOLS-2006 (Family Quality of Life Survey 2006) was used and completed by hearing mothers. For the analyses, mothers’ responses for the FQOLS-2006 part A in three domains of life were taken into account: support from others, support from disability-related services and community interactions. It turned out that families with young deaf children are involved in local community life to the limited extent, they do not experience discrimination acts/behaviours, and receive more emotional than practical support from relatives, friends as well as neighbours. Distant relatives are more a source of emotional and practical support than friends and neighbours. Few families with a deaf child do not have access to special services necessary for them to fulfil deaf children’s special needs. It seems appropriate to offer various forms of psychological intervention for families with young deaf children in order to help them to cope effectively with social relations and social support

Abnormal Resting-State Quantitative Electroencephalogram in Children With Central Auditory Processing Disorder: A Pilot Study

In this study, we showed an abnormal resting-state quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) pattern in children with central auditory processing disorder (CAPD). Twenty-seven children (16 male, 11 female; mean age = 10.7 years) with CAPD and no symptoms of other developmental disorders, as well as 23 age- and sex-matched, typically developing children (TDC, 11 male, 13 female; mean age = 11.8 years) underwent examination of central auditory processes (CAPs) and QEEG evaluation consisting of two randomly presented blocks of “Eyes Open” (EO) or “Eyes Closed” (EC) recordings. Significant correlations between individual frequency band powers and CAP tests performance were found. The QEEG studies revealed that in CAPD relative to TDC there was no effect of decreased delta absolute power (1.5–4 Hz) in EO compared to the EC condition. Furthermore, children with CAPD showed increased theta power (4–8 Hz) in the frontal area, a tendency toward elevated theta power in EO block, and reduced low-frequency beta power (12–15 Hz) in the bilateral occipital and the left temporo-occipital regions for both EO and EC conditions. Decreased middle-frequency beta power (15–18 Hz) in children with CAPD was observed only in the EC block. The findings of the present study suggest that QEEG could be an adequate tool to discriminate children with CAPD from normally developing children. Correlation analysis shows relationship between the individual EEG resting frequency bands and the CAPs. Increased power of slow waves and decreased power of fast rhythms could indicate abnormal functioning (hypoarousal of the cortex and/or an immaturity) of brain areas not specialized in auditory information processing

Electrophysiological correlates of focused attention on low- and high-distressed tinnitus.

ObjectivesThe study aimed at determining the EEG correlates of concentration on either low or high-distressed tinnitus.MethodsSixty-seven patients (36 women, mean age = 50.34 ± 12.94 years) with chronic tinnitus were assigned to either a high (HD) or low (LD) tinnitus-related distress group based on THI results. All participants took part in the EEG study comprising two 3-4 min blocks of focusing on either tinnitus (Tinnitus Focus Condition, TFC) or the sensations from one's own body (Body Focus Condition, BFC). The absolute power and current density of 8 frequency bands in 7 clusters were compared between conditions and groups.ResultsThe most pronounced differences were found in the HD patients in the TFC, relative to the BFC, i.e. reduced power of frontally distributed low alpha (8-10 Hz) and posterior high alpha (10-12 Hz) as well as lower current density of 8-10 Hz rhythm over the right frontal/anterior cingulate cortex and higher middle beta (15-18 Hz) density in the precuneus. The HD, relative to LD patients, in both conditions, exhibited increased low beta (12-15 Hz) power over the left middle area and greater higher beta (15-25 Hz) power in the left posterior region.ConclusionsThe present study contrasted bioelectrical activity, acquired when concentrating on tinnitus with EEG data collected whilst patients focused on their body. Decreased alpha power and current density in the frontal/cingulate cortex when listening to bothersome tinnitus might reflect greater cortical arousal whereas increased beta power and density in the precuneus/posterior cingulate activity in this condition could be indicative for elevated tension or augmented cognitive/emotional processing of tinnitus sound. Enhanced beta rhythm in patients with high versus low tinnitus distress, observed independently of the study condition, may be due to greater self-focused attention or more active processing of sensations derived from the own body

Table_1_Abnormal Resting-State Quantitative Electroencephalogram in Children With Central Auditory Processing Disorder: A Pilot Study.pdf

<p>In this study, we showed an abnormal resting-state quantitative electroencephalogram (QEEG) pattern in children with central auditory processing disorder (CAPD). Twenty-seven children (16 male, 11 female; mean age = 10.7 years) with CAPD and no symptoms of other developmental disorders, as well as 23 age- and sex-matched, typically developing children (TDC, 11 male, 13 female; mean age = 11.8 years) underwent examination of central auditory processes (CAPs) and QEEG evaluation consisting of two randomly presented blocks of “Eyes Open” (EO) or “Eyes Closed” (EC) recordings. Significant correlations between individual frequency band powers and CAP tests performance were found. The QEEG studies revealed that in CAPD relative to TDC there was no effect of decreased delta absolute power (1.5–4 Hz) in EO compared to the EC condition. Furthermore, children with CAPD showed increased theta power (4–8 Hz) in the frontal area, a tendency toward elevated theta power in EO block, and reduced low-frequency beta power (12–15 Hz) in the bilateral occipital and the left temporo-occipital regions for both EO and EC conditions. Decreased middle-frequency beta power (15–18 Hz) in children with CAPD was observed only in the EC block. The findings of the present study suggest that QEEG could be an adequate tool to discriminate children with CAPD from normally developing children. Correlation analysis shows relationship between the individual EEG resting frequency bands and the CAPs. Increased power of slow waves and decreased power of fast rhythms could indicate abnormal functioning (hypoarousal of the cortex and/or an immaturity) of brain areas not specialized in auditory information processing.</p