Binaural Masking Levels Difference in children with Language-based Learning Disability correspond to speech in noise comprehensiveness

Introduction. In recent years, audiology and phoniatrics centres treat ever more school children with Language-based Learning Disability (LLD) which can be related to central auditory processing disorders. Binaural Masking Level Difference (BMLD) test is one of the central auditory tests which is independent of language and speech maturity. Aim. The aim of the study was to assess BMLD in groups of school children with LLD, depending on their speech audiometry results in silence and in noise. Materials and methods. Fourty five children with LLD were included to the study and divided into 3 groups. Group 1: 13 children with significantly poorer speech audiometry in noise as compared to speech audiometry in silence. Group 2: 17 children with poor results of speech audiometry in silence (speech discrimination ≤70%). Group 3: children with the same normal location of articulation curves in silence and in noise. The results of children with LLD were compared to the control group of 12 children with full educational potential and good hearing. Results. The children with LLD with impaired speech understanding in the presence of competitive signal (group 1) had the poorest results of BMLD. In children with LLD and normal speech understanding in noise (group 3), as well as in control children without LLD, BMLD did not show abnormalities. Conclusions. Impaired speech understanding in noise of a child with LLD corresponds well with poor values of BMLD.