Electrophysiologic and Psycho-Acoustic Findings Following One-Year Application of a Personal Ear-Level FM Device in Children with Attention Defi cit and Suspected Central Auditory Processing Disorder

This study examined whether electrophysiological and psycho-acoustic auditory measures would refl ect changes following use for one year of a personal ear-level frequency-modulated (FM) device in a group of children with symptoms of central auditory processing disorder (CAPD). Subjects consisted of 10 children aged 7 to 14 years with normal hearing thresholds, suspected CAPD, and additional attention and/or learning diffi culties. The children were provided with a personal ear-level FM system which was required to be used mainly during school time for one year. An age-matched control group was also followed over the time period of one year. Results indicated that the children who used the ear-level personal FM device exhibited signifi cantly improved performance on specifi c tests of auditory function compared to the control group. Furthermore, electrophysiological late event-related potentials revealed signifi cant changes in the experimental group, suggesting an accelerated neuromaturational process when using a FM-device compared to an age-matched control group. Parents and teachers also reported a signifi cant improvement in speech understanding and in overall school performance as well as accompanying conduct behaviour in the children who used the FM device. Results of this study suggest that the late auditory eventrelated potentials are sensitive to changes in clinical development of children using an ear-level FM device. Results also indicate that use of an ear-level FM device results in improved behavioural and electrophysiologic auditory performance.