Speech auditory brainstem response audiometry in children with specific language impairment

Abstract

Objective: Children with specific language impairment (SLI) exhibit significantly delayed language development in the absence of any other abnormality. The aim of this study was to evaluate speech-evoked auditory brainstem responses (c-ABRs) in normal children and those with SLI assuming timing differences between these two populations.

Study design: Forty children aged 3–7 years with bilateral normal peripheral hearing, normal developmental milestones and IQ were divided into two groups: a control group (20 children with normal language development) and a study group (20 children with SLI). The study used full history, otological examination, pure tone audiometry, speech audiometry and immittance measures. Click-evoked auditory brainstem response (ABR) was recorded first followed by recording of speech-evoked ABR (c-ABR) using CV speech syllable /da/.

Results: There were significantly delayed latencies and reduced amplitudes of waves A, C, D, E, F and O components of c-ABR in the study group compared with the controls.

Conclusion: Children with specific language impairment had abnormal encoding for speech.

Key words:

• evoked potentials
• auditory brainstem
• speech perception
• specific language impairment

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest.