Amplification - Introduction, Purpose, Features Flashcards
Why do SLPs need to be familiar with HAs?
Will routinely encounter individuals with HL (children in schools, older adults)
What are 3 things an SLP should be able to do related to HAs/HL
1) answer questions about HAs
2) do basic troubleshooting
3) recognize when a referral to an AUD is needed
Why are SLPs in the best position to spot a problem with HAs?
They see patients more often/ongoing, can notice problems easier/more
SLPs (along with parents, teachers, and other clinicians) may called upon to provide input about what with a child’s hearing aids?
Their daily performance with hearing aids
The selection and fitting of HAs is _______ to AR programs for ____ patients that are ____ of ________ individuals
Central
Most
Hard of hearing
What are the two critical parts of getting a clients HAs?
1) selecting the correct HA
2) fitting it properly
What are the 2 goals of amplification?
1) audibility
2) comfort
What does the fitting of an HA include?
Physical fit as well the the tech settings/configuration
The purpose of a hearing aid for individuals with useable residual hearing is to improve ______ _________
Speech intelligibility
How are the goals of HAs accomplished?
Making as much of the speech signal audible as possible without making it uncomfortably loud
What are two complaints of older hearing aids that can be fixed now?
1) difficulty understanding speech in noise
2) discomfort from loud sounds
HAs have had many advances but, they cannot bring back ________ __________ or _______ _________ to normal
Hearing sensitivity
Speech understanding
What is one of the main reason that HAs have limitations?
Size, it is hard to get exceptional sound quality in a device that fits in an ear
Why is size a constraint for HAs?
Power constraints for battery size
The ____ exists to deliver great sound, we just cant make it ____ enough
Tech
Small
What are two recent improvements of HAs?
1) smaller batteries
2) directionality information
What is the main limitation to HAs/amp?
The impaired auditory system of the hearing aid user
What 2 limitations does the HA users impaired auditory system present?
1) reduced dynamic ranges
2) impaired frequency, intensity, and temporal resolving capabilities
It is important to give the hearing aid user _________ __________ concerning their hearing aid
Realistic expectations
How is need for an HA determined?
Standard audiologic assessments play a large role, but we also need to use a holistic view
Two people with the same testing profiles can have different ____ and therefore different ______ _________ approaches/needs
Lives
Aural Rehab
What is the point where a HA is of little to now help?
Maybe profound hearing loss, but often HAs can help almost any HL
Even those with profound HL may receive what 2 types of auditory info from HAs?
1) detection of environmental sounds
2) cues that assist with speechreading
Most people who don’t receive speech intelligibility from HAs are likely _________ ________ ____________
Cochlear I pan the canidates
Even if a severe to profoundly deaf person chooses not to use hearing aids they may use other __________ ______ (2 ex)
Assistive devices
1) vibrating alarm clock
2) light alarm door bell
What are 6 things to consider for HA candidacy?
1) audiologic factors
2) life style
3) cultural considerations
4) physical status
5) cognitive status
6) motivation and attitude
What are the 5 basic components of hearing aids?
1) microphone
2) transducer
3) amplifier
4) receiver
5) battery
Prior to the mid _______ HAs used analog tech or digitally controlled analog tech
1990s
After the mid 1990s fully ________ HAs were introduced
Digital
Why is digital HA tech better than analog?
Allows for a better/clearer signal
How do analog tech HAs work?
The signals that pass through the HA are continuous electrical waveforms analogous in shape to the incoming acoustic waveform
What is digital tech called and how does it work?
Digital signal processing technology
The continuous electrical waveform generated by the HA is changed by a converter to binary digits
Digital coding of the signal in digital HAs allows what?
Advanced signal processing that isn’t possible in analog tech
All modern HAs deliver good outcomes BUT…
There are basic and advanced features and the added ones have more benefits
What are 5 basic digital HA technologies?
1) multiple memories/programs
2) multiple channels
3) compression
4) basic feedback control
5) custom programming by the AUD
What is multiple memories/programs in an HA?
Differential amp for different listening environments or for fluctuating HL
What do multiple channels in an HL do?
Better process different frequency bands separately to better match the clients HL
What are basic vs. advanced HA channels?
Basic = high, mid, low Advanced = more than basic
What is compression?
The ability of an HA to to vary the gain applied based on the level coming in
What is basic feedback control?
The ability of an HA to reduce feedback
What is feedback caused by?
Previously amplified sound being pushed back into the mic and getting amplified again
How do basic vs. advanced devices do feedback control?
Basic: decreases level of amp
Advanced: cancels out the feedback sound waves
Compression in HAs means manual ______ control is needed as much anymore
Volume
What are 3 possible features of advanced HAs?
1) automatic and adaptive digital noise reduction algorithms
2) adaptive directional mics with signal processing algorithms
3) advanced feedback control
What is the con of advanced digital technology?
It’s significantly more expensive than basic tech, 2-3 times more
What does research say about advanced/expensive and basic/cheaper HAs?
There is not much research, but what we have shows that mid range is “worth it” but high is not
