Introduction/Objectives:

Previous studies have resulted that some speech impaired children show slower maturation of central visual function. Evoked visual potentials testing with cortical cartography is a useful diagnostic method for the visualisation of functional changes in visual pathway.

The aim ofthis study was to investigate the characteristics ofvisual evoked potentials in children with delayed speech development.

Participants, Materials/Methods:

Twenty speech-impaired preschool children aged 6–7 were tested, divided to the verbal results (Reynell Developmental Language Scale). Control group consisted of 10 healthy children, matched by age, gender and non-verbal status.

Complete diagnostic evaluation was performed included ophtal-mological, otoneurological, logopedic and psychological evaluation. Subjects and controls were examined by checkerboard pattern reversal visual evoked potentials (VEP) according to the 2004. European standards cortical cartography was simultaneously performed by Neuroscan 32-electrode system using Scan 4.3 software for data analysis.

Results:

The results show positive correlation among N 135 wave characteristics (thalamocortical level) in visual evoked potentials and psycholinguistic abilities (Psycholinguistic language Acquisition). Children with immature visuomotor function show significantly shortened amplitude and delayed latency of N 135 wave during monocular and binocular stimulation.

Conclusions:

Speech impaired preschool children with immature visuomotor function should be evaluated by visual evoked potentials with the purpose of efficient rehabilitation work.