Comparative study between school performance on first grade children and suppression of otoacoustic transient emission

SummarySchool learning can be hampered if there are defects on the central auditory process. Since those with auditory deficiency can be rehabilitated, it is fundamental that we identify them. Otoacoustic emissions test has low cost and operational ease. Study design: clinical and experimental.Aimto study the relationship between school learning and transient otoacoustic emission suppression by contralateral stimuli.Material and Methods39 individuals, from 7 to 12 years of age were evaluated, 19 (48.7%) with good school performance and 20 (51.3%) poor performers.ResultsA transient otoacoustic emission suppression failure for contralateral acoustic stimuli was more frequently found among children with poor school performance. We established a value of 1.6 dB SPL for emission reduction that characterized those children as belonging to the poor learning performance group: sensitivity 65%, specificity 72,2%, accuracy of 68.4%, positive predictive value of 72.2%.ConclusionThe contralateral emission suppression test of the right ear can be predictive of school difficulties in individuals from six to twelve years of age.