# Effect of hearing training on hearing and speech skills in children with speech sound disorders

## TL;DR

A brief computerized auditory training improved hearing and speech skills in children with speech sound disorders when combined with speech therapy.

## Contribution

Demonstrates that Brief-CAT, when combined with speech therapy, enhances speech outcomes in children with speech sound disorders.

## Key findings

- Brief-CAT improved figure-background auditory abilities for verbal sounds in children with SSD.
- Combining Brief-CAT with speech therapy led to greater phonological improvements than either alone.
- Children with phonological disorders showed better speech outcomes than those with motor speech disorders after the intervention.

## Abstract

to measure the effect of Brief Computerized Auditory Training (Brief-CAT) on behavioral auditory and speech skills in children with Speech Sound Disorder (SSD).

14 children, aged 6 and 9, diagnosed with SSD participated. All children presented one or more altered auditory skills in the behavioral assessment of Central Auditory Processing (CAP). They underwent six sessions of Brief-CAT. CAP's behavioral auditory skills and speech were assessed and a questionnaire was administered pre and post Brief-CAT. Inferential analysis was carried out.

Brief-CAT had an effect on the background figure ability for verbal sounds. The CAP tests individually showed an evolution in the number of subjects who changed their profile from “altered” to “normal”, even if not all of them had normalized the assessment. Prior speech therapy and the type of SSD had no impact on CAP results after Brief CAT. The questionnaire sustained the same results after intervention. Combining speech therapy with Brief-CAT offered greater potential for improving the phonological system (reducing absent sounds, increasing acquired sounds, and lowering SSD severity). Children with phonological disorders exhibited enhanced speech outcomes with combined Brief-CAT compared to those with motor speech disorders.

Brief-CAT proved effective in enhancing figure-background auditory abilities in children with SSD. Associating speech therapy with Brief-CAT should be the preferred therapeutic approach as it provides greater progress. The type of SSD influenced the speech performance of children undergoing Brief-CAT.

verificar o efeito do Treinamento Auditivo Computadorizado Breve (TAC-Breve) nas habilidades auditivas e de fala em crianças com Transtorno dos Sons da Fala (TSF).

participaram 14 crianças, de 6 e 9 anos, com diagnóstico de TSF. Todas crianças apresentaram uma ou mais habilidades auditivas alteradas na avaliação comportamental do Processamento Auditivo Central (PAC). Foram submetidas a seis sessões de TAC-Breve. Avaliou-se as habilidades auditivas e de fala e aplicou-se um questionário, pré e pós TAC-Breve. Realizou-se análise inferencial.

TAC-Breve teve efeito na habilidade de figura fundo para sons verbais. Os testes de PAC individualmente, apontaram evolução quanto ao número de sujeitos que modificaram seu perfil de “alterado” para “normal”, mesmo que nem todos tenham normalizado a avaliação. A terapia de fala prévia e o tipo de TSF não tiveram impacto nos resultados do PAC após o TAC-Breve. O questionário sustentou os mesmos resultados após intervenção. A terapia de fala quando associada ao TAC-Breve ofereceu maior possibilidade de adequação do sistema fonológico (diminuição de sons ausentes, maior produção de sons adquiridos e menor gravidade do TSF.) As crianças com transtorno fonológico obtiveram melhores resultados na fala ao realizarem o TAC-Breve associado, quando comparadas às com transtornos motores de fala.

o TAC-Breve mostrou ser eficaz na melhoria da habilidade auditiva de figura-fundo em crianças com TSF. A terapia de fala associada ao TAC-Breve deve ser a indicação terapêutica mais adequada, pois proporciona maior evolução. O tipo de TSF influenciou na fala das crianças submetidas ao TAC-Breve.