Auditory processing in preschool children (Sun et al., 2024)

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of auditory processing (AP) in preschool children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using the speech auditory brainstem response (speech-ABR), which provides insights into the AP of speech signals in the central auditory nervous system (CANS).Method: A total of 84 preschool children diagnosed with ADHD, aged 4–6 years, were matched with 84 typically developing (TD) children based on gender and age. All children underwent speech-ABR testing, cognitive assessment using the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence–Fourth Edition or the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children–Fourth Edition, and a continuous performance test.Results: Children with ADHD exhibited significantly longer latencies of speech-ABR waveforms V, A, and D compared to TD children. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the latencies of speech-ABR waves V, A, and D were affected by the presence of ADHD, but not by the full-scale intelligence quotient.Conclusions: This study revealed that preschool children with ADHD exhibited abnormal AP of speech signals in their CANS. The findings suggest that speech-ABR can be utilized as a reliable measure to evaluate AP ability in this population, as it remains unaffected by cognitive or attentional factors. The transient response (V, A) of speech-ABR was found to be a significant predictor of ADHD in a clinical setting. Early assessment of AP abnormalities via speech-ABR is recommended in preschool-age children to develop targeted interventions for ADHD.Supplemental Material S1. Pure-tone air-conduction threshold for all children.Supplemental Material S2. Latencies and amplitudes of speech-ABR measures for children with ADHD and TD children.Supplemental Material S3. Analysis on factors influencing the wave V of speech-ABR by multiple linear regression analysis.Supplemental Material S4. Analysis on factors influencing the wave A of speech-ABR by multiple linear regression analysis.Supplemental Material S5. Analysis on factors influencing the wave D of speech-ABR by multiple linear regression analysis.Sun, Y., Zhou, J., Zhu, H., Liu, P., Lin, H., Xiao, Z., Yu, X., Qian, J., Tong, M., Chi, X., & Hong, Q. (2024). Characteristics of speech auditory brainstem response in preschool children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 67(9), 3163–3177. https://doi.org/10.1044/2024_JSLHR-23-00454