[Guideline: Auditory processing and perception disorders: Proposal for treatment and management of APD : S1 guideline of the German Society of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology]. / Leitlinie "Auditive Verarbeitungs- und Wahrnehmungsstörungen": Vorschlag für Behandlung und Management bei AVWS : S1-Leitlinie der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie.

Despite normal hearing thresholds in pure-tone audiometry, 0.5-1% of children have difficulty understanding what they hear. An auditory processing disorder (APD) can be assumed, which should be clarified and treated. In patients with hearing loss, this must first be compensated or resolved. Only hereafter can a suspected APD be confirmed or excluded. Diagnosis of APD requires that a clear discrepancy between the child's performance in individual auditory functions and other cognitive abilities be demonstrated. Combination of therapeutical modalities is considered particularly more beneficial in APD patients than a single modality. Treatment modalities should consider linguistic and cognitive processes (top-down), e.g., metacognitive knowledge of learning strategies or vocabulary expansion, but also address underlying auditory deficits (bottom-up). Almost 50% of children with APD also have a language development disorder requiring treatment and/or dyslexia. Therefore, each therapeutic intervention for a child with APD must be individually adapted according to the diagnosed impairments. Musical training can improve phonologic and reading abilities. Changes and adaptations in the classroom are helpful to support the weak auditory system of children with APD. Architectural planning of classrooms can be a means of ensuring that direct sound is masked by as little diffuse sound as possible. For example, acoustic ceiling tiles are suitable for reducing reverberant and diffuse sound.

[Pitfalls in the statistical world]. / Fallstricke in der statistischen Welt.

Mistakes in the acquisition, evaluation, analysis and reporting of data often occur because there is a lack of awareness of the methodological problem. They can have far-reaching consequences for the reception of results of scientific primary studies and therefore for the clinical practice and healthcare. This article aims at raising awareness for a responsible handling of study data and for avoiding questionable or incorrect practices. It presents some examples of statistical pitfalls in empirical research practice, which increase the probability of false positive results and shows possibilities to avoid such risks.

[Guideline: Auditory Processing and Perception Disorders: Differential Diagnosis : S1 guideline of the German Society of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology]. / Leitlinie "Auditive Verarbeitungs- und Wahrnehmungsstörungen": Differenzialdiagnose : S1-Leitlinie der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie.

As a prerequisite for diagnosing auditory processing disorders (APD), differential diagnostic considerations are essential, especially with regard to language comprehension disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, specific cognitive impairments (e. g., in memory or multi-modal perception performance), specific learning disorders affecting reading and/or spelling, and autistic-type diseases. The current clinical management is presented in detail in the updated APD guidelines, as are the resulting conclusions for the interpretation of individual test results.

[Guideline: Auditory Processing and Perception Disorders: Diagnostics : S1-Guideline of The German Society of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology]. / Leitlinie: "Auditive Verarbeitungs- und Wahrnehmungsstörungen": Diagnostik : S1-Leitlinie der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie.

In accordance with international consensus papers, auditory processing disorders (APD) are defined as disorders of central processes of hearing. Following the establishment of a commission of experts from the German Society for Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, the existing S1 guideline was revised and updated. In this chapter, a position is taken on the clinical diagnostics of APD as well as on the delimitation of similar disorders.

[Guideline: Auditive Processing and Perception Disorders: Definition : Guideline of the German Society of Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology]. / Leitlinie "Auditive Verarbeitungs- und Wahrnehmungsstörungen": Definition : S1-Leitlinie der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Phoniatrie und Pädaudiologie.

In accordance with international consensus papers, Auditory Processing Disorders are defined here as disorders of central processes of hearing, which enable, among other things, the pre-conscious and conscious analysis, differentiation, and identification of changes in time, frequency, and intensity of acoustic or auditory speech signals as well as processes of binaural interaction (e. g., for localization, lateralization, noise clearance, and summation) and dichotic processing. Following the establishment of a commission of experts from the German Society for Phoniatrics and Pediatric Audiology, the existing S1 guideline was revised and updated. In this chapter, a position is taken on the definition of this clinical disorder as well as on the delimitation of similar disorders.

[Correlation of Phonological STM-Performances with Language-Based Dimensions in Children with APD]. / Korrelieren phonologische KZG-Leistungen mit sprachbasierten Dimensionen bei AVWS-Kindern?

OBJECTIVE: Phonological short-term memory (PSTM) is a functional component in language processing. This study investigated the association between some language-based dimensions of an eclectic test battery for auditory processing disorders (APD) and test performance in PSTM (recall for digits, sentences; non-word repetition). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Correlation analyses in control-group comparisons. PARTICIPANTS: n=178 children; 91 children diagnosed with APD (51%) visiting 2nd-4th grade of a primary school; 87 second- to fourth-graders with typical development 49%). RESULTS: Different patterns were found not only between pSTM-tests and verbal-acoustic test tasks, but above all between children with and without APD. Neither pSTM for digits, nor for sentences or non-word repetition showed significant associations with a verbal-acoustic task for children without APD. In contrast, this was the case in children with APD in some pSTM measures with phoneme identification, phoneme analysis and dichotic word recognition (r=0.29-0.41; p<0.005, Bonferroni-adjusted). Obviously, pSTM is--besides variance according to the specific test tasks--a functional component which condensed in the verbal-acoustic test performance only in children with APD. CONCLUSIONS: This means that in primary school age, the role of pSTM and verbal-acoustic tasks is influenced by auditory processes in children with APD.

Self-reported health-related quality of life in kindergarten children: psychometric properties of the Kiddy-KINDL.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the psychometric properties of the German self-reported version of the Kiddy-KINDL that measures Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) in 3 to 5 year old kindergarten children. STUDY DESIGN: The population of the study comprised baseline data of a longitudinal study whose main aim is to investigate self-reported health outcomes in young children (N = 317). METHODS: Missing values, the distribution of data, internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha and Guttman's lambda), and reliability (split half and two weeks test-retest) were analysed. To assess discriminant validity, mean differences were tested splitting the sample regarding socio-emotional competences (VBV 3-6), age and gender. Structural validity was investigated with Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). RESULTS: Mean HRQoL was 69.79 (SD 16.84). Overall missing values were 8.1%, overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.75 and overall Guttman's lambda was 0.77; for the whole scale Spearman-Brown test for split half reliability resulted in 0.80 and ICC for test-retest in 0.83. Discriminant validity investigation differentiated groups with high and low socio-emotional competence and those children who were 4.5 years or older, compared to the younger ones. Differences between boys and girls were also found. CFA suggested two main dimensions: physical and socio-emotional. CONCLUSION: This preliminary validation of the Kiddy-KINDL in very young children shows satisfactory psychometric properties. However, results of the Cronbach's alpha, Guttman's lambda and the CFA depicted problems, mainly in the psychological dimension. Due to these we recommend to use the Kiddy-KINDL as an instrument with only two dimensions. Further studies in general population samples are needed.

[Clinical-psychological components in the consideration of functional dysphonia--a review]. / Klinisch-psychologische Bausteine in der Diagnostik funktioneller Dysphonien--eine Übersicht.

The etiopathogenesis of functional dysphonia is complex; it is not sufficient to look solely at vocal behavior aspects. The predisposing basis for functional dysphonia can lie in the constitution of an individual, his/her professional speaking and speech behavior and/or may be personality-based. (Prolonged) psychosocial stress, vocal overstressing, unfavorable speaking habits, infection of the upper respiratory tract, inflammatory processes in the larynx, emotional life events and COSO events are considered as possible triggers. The interaction of predisposed and causal factors is unknown. Stress, overall fatigue, anxiety, depression and/or certain personality traits (which complicate or hamper coping) are considered as perpetuating factors. In any case, overlaps between voice symptoms and reactive psychic as well as social problems have to be kept in mind (e. g. the burden of suffering, depressive processing, speaking anxiety, socially withdrawal). Because the association of multiple psychosocial factors with functional dysphonia is not distinct--such are always existent in organ medically unexplained symptoms--functional dysphonia has to be diagnostically differentiated. For the purpose of the article, a psycho-diagnostic path following the ICD-10 chapter V along general lines is presented. Until now, it is unknown which psychosocial factors discriminate a psychogenic dysphonia from muscle tension dysphonia.

[Diagnostic Accuracy of a Test Set to Classify Children with Auditory Processing Disorders (APD)]. / Diagnostische Genauigkeit einer AVWS-Testbatterie zur Klassifikation auffälliger Kinder.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diagnostic performance of an testbattery. Sensitivity and specificity are measures to evaluate the validity of a test. MATERIAL AND METHODS: These parameters were determined using ROC-curves for a battery of 10 diagnostic tests. The Youden Index, defined as the maximal effectiveness to determine the optimal cutpoint of diagnostic accuracy, was calculated as well. PARTICIPANTS: 91 children diagnosed with APD (51%) visiting 2(nd)-4(th) grade of a primary school; 87 2(nd)-4(th) graders with-out APD. RESULTS: A very good relation of sensitivity and false-positive-rate was found for the Mottier-Test, which measures auditory non-word repetition (Area under the Curve=AUC as a global statistic measure for validity: 0.96; p=0.000; 95%-CI: 0.93-0.99). The cut-off point to distinguish between children with and without APD was 17.5 raw score, according to the max. Youden Index 0.83 (sensitivity: 90.1%; specificity 93.1%; false-positive-rate: 6.9%). The HSET-Subtest "Imitation grammatischer Strukturformen" (measuring auditory short-term sentence memory) exhibited comparable high discriminative power (AUC: 0.94; p=0.000; 95%-CI: 0.90-0.98). At 21.5 raw score (max. Youden Index: 0.82), 84.7% of the children were classified correctly (false-positive-rate: 2.3%; specificity: 97.7%). Eight tests had a moderately diagnostic accuracy, two of them tended to lesser accuracy (phoneme analysis: AUC: 0.72; monaural temporal order judgment AUC: 0.75). CONCLUSIONS: Using certain tests of a defined test set for identification of APDs in primary school children according to the sensitivity improves the possibility to detect APDs. In order to precisely specify the APD and to decide which auditory dimension should be treated the entire combination of 10 diagnostic tests is indispensable.

[Can children with APD be discriminated from those with APD plus SLI by test diagnostic?]. / Sind AVWS mit und ohne Sprachentwicklungsstörung testdiagnostisch trennbar?

BACKGROUND: A small number of variables already permit a reliable diagnostic classification of patients into the group "Auditory Processing Disorder" (APD) or unimpaired (Non-APD) in second-graders of primary schools. MATERIAL AND METHODS: To test whether the separation of children into the diagnostic group APD or SLI (Specific Language Impairment)+APD-symptomatology or Non-APD is possible, stepwise discrimination analysis were performed with 10 variables from the database of the study from Kiese-Himmel & Nickisch (2012). PATIENTS: Two clinically and diagnostically confirmed groups of second-graders: (1) Monosymptomatic APD (n=24; mean age 7.7 [SD 0.75] years); (2) SLI + APD-symptomatology (n=21; mean age 8.0 [SD 0.55] years) and a control group of unimpaired children (Non-APD; n=48; mean age 7.6 [SD 0.49] years). RESULTS: A statistical separation of each clinical group of unimpaired children functioned successfully. Children with APD were differentiated from unimpaired children via 4 variables of which 2 focused on phonological retention (non-words; sentences), and 2 on language comprehension (word understanding in background noise; dichotic word recognition). Children with SLI + APD-symptomatology were separated from unimpaired by 2 phonological retention variables. Children with APD could only be differentiated significantly from those with SLI + APD-symptomatology when introducing a linguistic variable (grammatical structure comprehension). CONCLUSION: Answering the question whether a selective discrimination of children with APD from children with SLI + APD-symptomatology is possible respectively whether it is the same or different requires further attention.

[The early expressive vocabulary size in simultaneous bilingual growing-up infants - a diagnostic relevant criterion?]. / Der frühe expressive Wortschatzumfang simultan mehrsprachig aufwachsender Kinder - ein diagnostisch relevantes Kriterium?

AIM: Bilingual young children's early expressive vocabulary size and its composition (as one domain of the language development) should be examined to find out whether children with a risk for delayed language development may be identified in this way. METHOD: 30 bilingual kindergarten infants from Berlin (with simultaneous language acquisition; second language German) and 30 monolingual German infants from the greater areas of Stuttgart and Heidelberg were pair matched (mean chronological age 22.5 [SD 3.1] months; min 16; max 26). The German expressive vocabulary checklist Elternfragebogen zur Wort-schatzentwicklung im frühen Kindesalter (ELAN; Bockmann & Kiese-Himmel, 2006) was filled out by all parents. In addition, parents of bilingual infants completed the adaption of the German vocabulary checklist Sprachbeurteilung durch Eltern (SBE-2-KT; v. Suchodoletz & Sachse, 2008) for the second mother tongue. RESULTS: The monolinguals' word sum in the ELAN (145.7; SD 75.8) differed significantly (p=0.001) from the bilinguals' word sum (78.3; SD 78.9 words). In contrast, bilinguals did not significantly differ in their overall expressive vocabulary size (ELAN+SBE-2-KT: 101.2; SD 77.0 words) from their monolingual counterparts (ELAN). CONCLUSION: Because bilinguals had a similar sized overall early vocabulary (both languages) like monolingual German-learning infants, the diagnostic criterion to identify late talkers with 24 months of age (less than 50 German words and no word combinations) should not be applied to bilingually infants with simultaneously double language acquisition.

[CAPD in 2nd-graders of primary schools: which tests discriminate normal from impaired children?]. / AVWS bei Regelschülern im 2. Schuljahr: Welche Tests trennen auffällige von unauffälligen Kindern?

BACKGROUND: Third- and fourth-graders with (C)APD can be differentiated from non-(C)APD children at best by means of 3 diagnostic tests (Nickisch & Kiese-Himmel, 2009). Now it should be examined which tests discriminate second graders with (C)APD from those without. MATERIAL UND METHODS: 10 audiological and psychometrical tests were used for this purpose. PATIENTS: 33 second-graders of primary schools diagnosed with auditory-specific perceptual deficits (clinical group (C)APD: average age: 7.8; SD 0.7 years) were compared to 48 normally developed children of the same school grade (control group Non-(C)APD: average age: 7.6; SD 0.5 years). RESULTS: With the exception of 3 non-language based tests significant group-differentiations appeared, with the (C)APD-children displaying worse results. The diagnostic classification succeeded in the following test-combination: Word-Understanding in Background Noise (Goettinger Sprachaudiometrie im Freifeld), Dichotic Listening (Uttenweiler Test), Numerical Sequence Memory (Subtest of the German version of the Illinois Test of Psycholinguistic Abilities), Nonword Repetition (Mottier-Test). 97.5% of all children were assigned to the correct diagnostic group (96.3% after cross-validation). CONCLUSION: After the exclusion of neurological disorders, peripheral hearing-disorders as well as intelligence-impairments the diagnostic assurance of (C)APD of second-graders succeeded, permitting very small probability of error. Compared to the preliminary study, an additional diagnostic test on second-graders is necessary; classification, as a result, will be more precise.

[Short-term sentence memory in children with auditory processing disorders]. / Kurzfristiges Satzbehalten bei Kindern mit auditiven Verarbeitungs- und Wahrnehmungsstörungen.

BACKGROUND: Based on the study of Nickisch et al. [1] the 4 discriminatory variables of second-year elementary school-age children with and without APD should now be investigated with respect to the variable "sentence memory". MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis. Sentence memory was tested via the subtest "IS" of the Heidelberger Sprachentwicklungstest [2]. All children were examined with the 4 APD-tests (see results) and the subtest "IS". PARTICIPANTS: n=24 with monosymptomatic APD; n=21 with APD + Specific Language Impairment [SLI]; n=48 controls [developmentally normal]. RESULTS: Mean sentence memory achievement of the clinical groups differed statistically from the control group (p<0.001). The comparison of mean values in the 4 discriminatory variables in each case revealed distinctly significant differences (p<0.001) in favour of the control group (word-comprehension in background noise; dichotic word listening; phonological digit span; nonword repetition). Children with APD, by contrast, did not statistically differ in any meaningful in their mean achievement from those with APD + SLI. Between the mean value of the clinical groups and the control group effect sizes d were calculated. The effects were not only statistically significant but also of clinical and practical relevance given that the CI was small. CONCLUSION: High mean value differences in sentence memory as well as in nonword repetition in children with APD as in those with APD + SLI to normally typically developed control children shed new light on questions regarding a fluent transition between APD and SLI or a comorbid appearance.

[Evaluation of current assessment tools in early detection of developmental deviations in speech and language in the German preventive paediatric examination (Kindervorsorgeuntersuchung U8)]. / Analyse aktueller Untersuchungsinstrumente zur Früherkennung von Auffälligkeiten in Sprechen und Sprache in der pädiatrischen Vorsorgeuntersuchung U8.

OBJECTIVE: The current analysis is a contribution to application information and quality assurance. It is intended to evaluate and optimise the use of German developmental screening instruments to identify deficits in speech, speech fluency and language during the early paediatric toddler check-up Kindervorsorgeuntersuchung U8 in the age of 43-50 months. METHODS: A systematic literature search was conducted seeking current specific, standardised, norm-referenced assessment tools, particularly those relevant to the early detection of developmental speech and language retardation. They were subsequently evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively with specific regard to 15 psychometric criteria and construction features. RESULTS: 4 assessment tools (ETS 4-8; KiSS; SSV; TSVK-Screen) resulted from literature search. They were subjected to a detailed and rigorous comparative analysis. Quantitatively they met 7-12 of the 15 psychometric criteria whose quality was partly low or demonstrated survey standard to a lesser degree. CONCLUSION: These developmental screening instruments utilised in the paediatric toddler check-up U8 cannot be recommended without reservation with regard to a dichotomous decision (suspected disorder versus no suspected disorder). More qualificatory research focusing specifically on the existing screenings and the construction of new screening tools is required in order to gain vital developmental psychological information of the speech/language status of a child during the preventive paediatric examination U8. Alternatively, it should be evaded to the approach of taking diagnostic language developmental tests.

[Inpatient language therapy in children with severe specific language impairments]. / Stationäre Sprachtherapie bei Kindern mit schweren spezifischen Sprachentwicklungsstörungen.

BACKGROUND: The present retrospective evaluation study examined treatment efficacy in preschool children with severe specific language impairments. Besides the efficacy of 2 inpatient treatment conditions, differing in periods and intensity of parent advice, will be compared. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 106 children (mean age: 72.1; SD 9.1 months) received 6 weeks of treatment with a traditional therapy en bloc (EB) and 78 children (mean age: 72.3; SD 10.4 months) with a new therapy in 3 intervals (I) respectively. Receptive language abilities, expressive vocabulary size and nonword repetition were utilized as language measures at the beginning and end of treatment. RESULTS: In both treatment conditions, the children, on average, made significant gains in the outcome measures (p<0.0001). En bloc-like interval therapy yielded big effects in receptive language abilities (EB: d=0.89; 95%-CI: 0.72-1.05 vs. I: d=0.95; 95%-CI: 0.71-1.19). Medium effect sizes (EB: d=0.60; 95%-CI: 0.48-0.72; I: d=0.79; 95%-CI: 0.61-0.98) resulted in expressive vocabulary, but rather minor ones in phonological processing (EB: d=0.37; 95%-CI: 0.22-0.52; I: d=0.48; 95%-CI: 0.28-0.67). No significant post-intervention difference between the therapy modes was only observed in receptive language (95%-CI of the difference at the end of treatment: -1.85-5.17). CONCLUSIONS: An intensive multidisciplinary approach with preschool children is justified when the children suffer from severe deficits in language comprehension and expressive vocabulary even after sufficient outpatient treatment.

[Evaluation of current assessment tools in the early detection of language retardation in the German preventive paediatric examinations (Kindervorsorgeuntersuchung U7/U7A)]. / Vergleichende Analyse aktueller Untersuchungsinstrumente zur Früherkennung von Sprachentwicklungsretardationen in den pädiatrischen Vorsorgeuntersuchungen U7/U7A.

OBJECTIVE: The current analysis is a contribution to user orientation and quality assurance that seeks to evaluate and optimise the use of German language development assessment tools during early paediatric toddler check-ups ( KINDERVORSORGEUNTERSUCHUNG U7 OR U7A). METHODS: All current, standardised assessment tools, particularly those relevant to early detection of developmental language retardation - normed on German speaking children - were evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively with particular regard to their psychometric criteria (13 criteria) and design features. RESULTS: 8 assessment tools (ELAN; ELFRA-2; Short Form ELFRA-2; FRAKIS; FRAKIS-K; SBE-2-KT; SBE-3-KT; SETK-2) were located in the literature and subjected to a detailed and rigorous comparative analysis. Quantitatively they met 9 to 11 of the 13 psychometric criteria. CONCLUSION: In Germany, there are several assessment tools for dichotomous identification of language retardations on high levels of psychometric criteria that can be used in the above-mentioned preventive paediatric examinations. Nevertheless, the collecting of actual norm scores of representative samples should be kept in mind.

[Which phonological memory measure distinguishes children with from children without auditory processing disorders? A group analysis]. / Welche phonologische Arbeitsgedächtnisleistung trennt Kinder mit AVWS von unauffälligen Kindern? Eine Gruppenanalyse.

AIM: The aim of this study was to compare performance in phonological working memory across children with auditory processing disorders (APD), partly associated with different developmental disorders, and to examine which memory measure distinguishes children with from children without APD. METHOD: Data from a health care research database were retrospectively analyzed. All children completed three measures of phonological serial recall: one-syllable digits, one-syllable words, and multi-syllabic nonwords of increasing length (2-6 syllables). PARTICIPANTS: The study included 48 subjects with APD only (mean age: 87.9 months; SD 12.9 months); 35 with co-occurring APD and developmental language disorder (DLD) (mean age: 82.2; SD 13.4); 16 with co-occurring APD and dyslexia (mean age: 109.2; 18.7); 10 with co-occurring slight intelligence reduction and APD (mean age: 102.4; SD 12.5), while 13 were non-affected, typically forming controls (non-APD; mean age: 86.0; SD 16.1). The mean intelligence (T-score) of the first three mentioned APD groups and the controls were significantly different (p<0.0001) from the children with lowered intelligence and APD (35.4; SD 3.1). RESULTS: Mean performance in all three verbal memory measures was significantly different from the controls in children with DLD+APD (digit span: p=0.0009; word span: p=0.0012; nonwords: p=0.05) and children with APD only (digit span: p=0.0037; word span: p=0.0006; non words: p=0.05). The set of memory measures (excluding the small and older group with lowered intelligence) went into a stepwise discriminate analysis. A significant group separation APD vs. non-APD was made by the subvocal rehearsal component of the phonological loop, as indicated by word span (F=14.40; p=0.0002) and digit span (F=2.87; p=0.0932). The rate of misclassification was 23%. CONCLUSION: The present results raise the question of the validity of APD diagnostics which includes the phonological working memory on principle. It remains controversial whether the assessment of the cognitive function "phonological memory" should remain part of (C)APD diagnosis. Further research should aim to replicate the study with subjects of the same age and supplementary studies of the "central executive" and processing precision of the phonological store.

[Globus sensation : A clinical review]. / Die Globussensation : Eine klinische Ubersichtsarbeit.

Globus sensation is a medially felt lump in the throat. It can be associated with a number of different diseases, but this symptom may also occur monosymptomatically as a somatoform disorder or as a secondary somatoform illness behavior. Globus sensation may be persistent or intermittent. Diagnosis requires close interdisciplinary cooperation, since the globus may be a symptom of anxiety, depression or personality disorders. Firstly, patients should undergo a thorough otolaryngological examination (including careful medical history taking), possibly in cooperation with other medical specialists. Subsequent psychosomatic and clinical tests - if necessary - may be time-consuming due to complex interrelations between somatic vulnerability and psychosocial coping strategies. Sometimes a comorbid disorder is diagnosed and the primary disease treated; however, the identification of multiple etiologically effective mechanisms is impossible. If the patient is unable to accept his benign monosymptomatic globus as a somatoform disorder (ICD-10; F45.8), a combination of pharmacologic intervention and cognitive-behavioral intervention as an integrated treatment approach is recommended. However, the symptom has a strong tendency to recur. Since controlled therapy studies are scant to date, evidence-based treatment concepts are currently not available.

[Short-term sentence memory in children with auditory processing disorders]. / Kurzfristiges Satzbehalten bei Kindern mit auditiven Verarbeitungs- und Wahrnehmungsstörungen Ein Gruppenvergleich.

OBJECTIVE: To compare sentence repetition performance of different groups of children with Auditory Processing Disorders (APD) and to examine the relationship between age or respectively nonverbal intelligence and sentence recall. MATERIAL: Nonverbal intelligence was measured with the COLOURED MATRICES, in addition the children completed a standardized test of SENTENCE REPETITION (SR) which requires to repeat spoken sentences (subtest of the HEIDELBERGER SPRACHENTWICKLUNGSTEST). PARTICIPANTS: Three clinical groups (n=49 with monosymptomatic APD; n=29 with APD+developmental language impairment; n=14 with APD+developmental dyslexia); two control groups (n=13 typically developing peers without any clinical developmental disorder; n=10 children with slight reduced nonverbal intelligence). RESULTS: The analysis showed a significant group effect (p=0.0007). The best performance was achieved by the normal controls (T-score 52.9; SD 6.4; Min 42; Max 59) followed by children with monosymptomatic APD (43.2; SD 9.2), children with the co-morbid-conditions APD+developmental dyslexia (43.1; SD 10.3), and APD+developmental language impairment (39.4; SD 9.4). The clinical control group presented the lowest performance, on average (38.6; SD 9.6). Accordingly, language-impaired children and children with slight reductions in intelligence could poorly use their grammatical knowledge for SR. A statistically significant improvement in SR was verified with the increase of age with the exception of children belonging to the small group with lowered intelligence. This group comprised the oldest children. Nonverbal intelligence correlated positively with SR only in children with below average-range intelligence (0.62; p=0.054). CONCLUSION: The absence of APD, SLI as well as the presence of normal intelligence facilitated the use of phonological information for SR.