The neural encoding of speech sounds in children with speech sound disorders: Analysis of Frequency-Following Response

Tatiane Faria Barrozo; Liliane Aparecida Fagundes Silva; Carla Gentile Matas; Haydée Fiszbein Wertzner

doi:10.1590/1982-0216/20252740425

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The neural encoding of speech sounds in children with speech sound disorders: Analysis of Frequency-Following Response

Tatiane Faria Barrozo; Liliane Aparecida Fagundes Silva; Carla Gentile Matas; Haydée Fiszbein Wertzner

http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1982-0216/20252740425 Revista CEFAC, vol.27, n4, e0425, 2025

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Abstract

Purpose: to analyze neural encoding of speech sounds by Frequency-following response (FFR) and verify whether there are variations in idiopathic speech sound disorder (SSD), according to symptom severity.

Methods: twenty-nine children with SSD between 5:0 and 7:11 years old underwent FFR assessment, using the /da/ syllable, and the V, A, C, D, E, F, and O waves were identified and analyzed. The children were divided into three groups according to SSD severity, calculated by the percent correct consonants (PCC) index. The relation between SSD severity and the latency of each wave and VA slope was analyzed, using inferential analysis, with p<0.05 considered significant.

Results: twenty-six patients (89.66%) presented alteration in at least one of the FFR components, mainly with delayed latencies of the A, F, and O waves and smaller VA slope. Longer O wave latency for the severe group than for the mild or moderate group, was observed, the latency of this wave being related to the PCC-revised.

Conclusion: individuals presented with SSD had difficulty in the neural processing of speech sounds, especially for processing the final portion of phonemes. Furthermore, the more evident the severity of the SSD, the longer the neural processing time required to perceive the offset of syllabic voice.

Keywords

Speech Sound Disorder; Evoked Potentials, Auditory; Auditory Perception; Child; Neurophysiology

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Submetido em:
04/02/2025

Aceito em:
08/07/2025

The neural encoding of speech sounds in children with speech sound disorders: Analysis of Frequency-Following Response

Tatiane Faria Barrozo; Liliane Aparecida Fagundes Silva; Carla Gentile Matas; Haydée Fiszbein Wertzner

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