The Gap in Noise test in 11 and 12-year-old children.

BACKGROUND

gap detection in 11 and 12-year-old children.

AIM

to investigate temporal resolution through the Gap in Noise test in children of 11 and 12 years in order to establish criteria of normal development.

METHOD

participants were 92 children, with ages of 11 and 12 years, enrolled in elementary school, with no evidences of otologic, and/or neurologic, and/or cognitive disorders, as well as with no history of learning difficulties or school failure. Besides that, participants' hearing thresholds were within normal limits and their verbal recognition in the dichotic test of digits was equal or superior to 95% of hits. All were submitted to the Gap in Noise test. The statistical analysis was performed by non-parametric tests with significance level of 0.05 (5%).

RESULTS

the average of the gap thresholds was 5.05 ms, and the average percentage of correct answers was 71.70%. There was no significant statistical difference between the responses by age (eleven and twelve years), by ear (right and left), by gender (male and female). However, when comparing the tests, it was observed that the 1st test showed a higher percentage of identifications of gap, statistically significant than the 2nd test.

CONCLUSION

in 78.27% of the population of this study, the gap thresholds were up to 5 ms, response recommended as normality reference for the age group searched.