This study is a systematic review investigating the feasibility of early diagnosis of Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) in children aged 5 to 6 years using behavioral auditory processing tests. APD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects the ability to process auditory information despite normal hearing and is associated with difficulties in speech perception, phonological awareness, and learning. Current diagnostic guidelines (ASHA, 2005; AAA, 2010) recommend diagnosis at 7 years old, but research suggests that earlier identification may improve intervention outcomes. This systematic review examines how behavioral auditory processing tests can be applied to younger children and whether early diagnosis can support language, literacy, and cognitive development. The review analyzed recent studies on APD assessments in children, but findings revealed a lack of research on 5-year-olds, with all included studies exclusively focusing on 6-year-olds. The results from the studies confirmed that APD significantly affects auditory processing skills, such as speech-in-noise perception and dichotic listening, with p < 0.05 observed in ASPN-S and p = 0.0001 in DDT RE (Guzek Guzek & Iwanicka-Pronicka,2023). These findings highlight the importance of early screening and intervention before elementary school. Establishing age-specific diagnostic criteria and refining early screening tools for 5-year-olds could maximize early intervention benefits, reinforcing the need for further research on younger populations.
Ειρήνη Α. Τοκούζη (Wed,) studied this question.