1% of children in Japan have ‘listening difficulties’: large-scale survey also reveals connection with developmental disorders

From The Asahi Shiumbun via Yahoo! Japan

December 3 2023

A survey conducted by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) research team found that approximately 1% of children have symptoms of “listening difficulties” –  (LiD) – such as inability to hear or frequent mishearing, even though hearing tests show no abnormalities. This is the first large-scale epidemiological study in Japan, and the paper was published in an international journal.

LiD is thought to cause some kind of disorder in the brain’s ability to process and understand sound information that comes in through the ears. Symptoms include the inability to understand words by simply hearing them. It is easily recognized in noisy places, in conversations with others, on the phone, in customer service, and in classes.

It is reported that 0.2 to 5% of the population overseas has the symptoms. In Japan, the condition has not been well known, but in recent years, its existence has become known through social networking services, and the number of people seeking a diagnosis has been increasing.

The research team conducted a questionnaire survey of a total of 4,350 children attending nine elementary, junior high, and senior high schools in the Kansai region and their parents from 2021 to 2022. The team surveyed a total of 4,350 children and their parents who attended nine elementary, junior high, and senior high schools in the Kansai region from 2021 to 2022. and “What is it?” and “I often ask back,” as well as questions related to development, such as “I have difficulty concentrating when learning,” were answered by 743 children and their parents, respectively.

The results showed that 12.4% of the respondents were “slightly aware” of LiD symptoms, 2.8% were “moderately aware,” and 0.8% were “very aware” of LiD symptoms. While the percentage increased as the children’s grades increased, parents tended to under-report symptoms, making it difficult for others to recognize them.

In addition, 10% of parents reported that their children had developmental problems, and the more severe the symptoms of LiD, the higher the score of developmental problems. 34% of those aware of LiD had ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), according to a previous study in Japan.

Koichi Sakamoto, associate professor of otorhinolaryngology at Osaka Public University and the principal investigator of the study, said, “At least 0.8% of children with LiD are likely to be diagnosed with LiD if the frequency of symptoms is quite high. Difficulty in hearing can have a negative impact on a child’s learning and language acquisition, so it is necessary to receive an early diagnosis and take action,” Sakamoto said.