Dichotic speech tests

When central auditory dysfunction is present, ability to understand speech in difficult listening situations can be affected. To study this phenomenon , dichotic speech tests were performed with test material in the Swedish la nguage. Digits, spondees, sentences and consonant-vowel syllables were used as stimuli and the reporting was free or directed. The test material was r ecorded on CD. The study includes a normal group of 30 people in three diff erent age categories; 11 years, 23-27 years and 67-70 years. It also includ es two different groups of subjects with suspected central auditory lesions ; 11 children with reading and writing difficulties and 4 adults earlier ex posed to organic solvents. The results from the normal group do not show an y differences in performance due to age. The children with reading and writ ing difficulties show a significant deviation for one test with digits and one test with syllables. Three of the four adults exposed to solvents show a significant deviation from the normal group.