SAAAT Computerized in seven-years-old children with cleft lip and palate: comparative study

Author(s)

Karina Krähembühl Salvador

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Bauru.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Odontologia de Bauru (FOB/SDB)
• Defense date: 2011-06-29

Examining board members

Mariza Ribeiro Feniman; Maria Fernanda Capoani Garcia Mondelli; Sthella Zanchetta

• Advisor: Mariza Ribeiro Feniman

Abstract

Congenital cleft lip and palate are facial malformations that occur during embryonic and fetal period. Otitis media with effusion (OME) is widely cited in the literature as being frequent in this population with and without craniofacial anomalies. Repeated episodes of OME, which cause periods of hearing loss and consequent sensory deprivation, can affect various cognitive functions, among them the attention. The Test of Sustained Auditory Attention Ability Computerized (SAAAT-C) is an objective method of information for describing the behavior of auditory attention in children. It is an auditory vigilance task to measure the child\'s attention, given the correct answers to the specific linguistic cues and to measure sustained attention as shown by the child\'s ability to maintain attention and concentration on the task for an extended period of time. This study aimed to examine and compare the performance of children of seven years with or without cleft lip and palate in SAAAT - C. The group with cleft (GF) is composed of 21 patients with cleft lip and palate, and the control group (CG) of 22 students without this malformation. Patients were aged seven years, had hearing within normal limits, no difficulty understanding the test, abuse and / or upper airways disease and a history of complaints of inattention. The SAAAT-C was administered in a soundproof booth, presenting in diotic a list of 100 monosyllabic words, including 20 occurrences of the target word \"no\", presented six times without interruption. The child should press the left mouse button (click) every time they heard the word \"no. Was considered as an error of inattention when the child did not press the mouse button in response to the target word, and as impulsiveness error when the child pressed the button on the mouse to another word instead of the word \"no\". The total of the number of errors of inattention and impulsivity results in the total score. The decrease in vigilance is obtained by the difference between the number of correct answers to the word \"no\" on the 1st and 6th presentation. As results were found averages of 60.2 and 51.8 errors of inattention to the SG and CG groups, respectively, as averages of 55.5 and 46.3 for errors of impulsiveness, 115.7 and 97.9 for the total score and averages of 3.9 and 4.0 for the decrease of surveillance of these groups. There was a strong and statistically significant correlation to the parameters inattention-impulsivity, inattention-total score and impulsivity-total score for both groups. A correlation was found weak, and without a statistically significant difference for the parameters: inattention and decreased surveillance, impulsivity and decreased surveillance, and total score and decreased surveillance for both groups. It was concluded that the CLP group had a higher number of errors than the control group regarding the Inattention, Impulsivity, and Total Score, but without statistically significant difference between them. The performance as to the Vigilance Decrement was similar between the two studied groups. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/04413-2 - Computarized THAAS aplicability in children with cleaft palate: comparative study
• Grantee: Karina Krahembuhl Salvador
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master