Developmental and School-Related Risk Factors in Auditory Processing Disorder: A Pilot Study in Polish Children

The paper presents the issue of acquired and secondary auditory processing disorder (APD) in children and adolescents in the Polish population. The authors analyzed a group of individuals with APD and younger children who were at risk based on a detailed interview with parents. A comparison of developmental factors showed several similarities between the risk and diagnosed APD groups, including abnormal muscle tone (64.29% vs. 33.33%), ear diseases (42.86% vs. 57.58%), and complicated delivery (32.14% vs. 39.39%). In terms of school factors, the most significant difficulties were associated with poor concentration (78.57% vs. 54.55%), irregularities in mastering phonology related to writing (67.86% vs. 75.76%), and reading (64.29% vs. 78.79%), as well as problems with understanding speech-in-noise perception (60.71% vs. 57.58%). A comparison of children at risk of APD and those with a confirmed diagnosis revealed multiple similarities. The results were visualized using Pareto charts to highlight the most influential factors. The results indicate the need to disseminate screening that could show the APD risk group. Therefore, the diagnostic process could be performed more quickly in such individuals. Based on recurring developmental factors, the Risk Assessment Questionnaire (RAQ) was developed as a non-clinical screening tool to identify children potentially at risk of APD. The RAQ demonstrated a moderate discriminative potential (AUC = 0.68; sensitivity = 75%; specificity = 68%) and may support early referral for diagnostic evaluation. The results highlight the value of systematic screening to accelerate diagnosis and intervention, especially in populations where access to formal assessment is limited.