Final Exam Flashcards
Why don’t more people buy hearing aids?
Don't perceive a need Deny severity of loss have other priorities cost stigma bad experiences (theirs or other's)
What should a properly selected and fit hearing aid do?
- amplify speech and environmental sounds
- optimize intelligibility and sound quality
- assure loud sounds are not uncomfortable or distorted
What are the basic components of a hearing aid?
- microphone
- amplifier (digital processor): converts electrical signal to digital, performs calculations to modify the signal
- receiver (converts amplified signal back to acoustic signal)
- battery
Controls and Features of HAs
- on-off switch
- telecoil
- volume control
- compression
- directional microphone
Styles of hearing aids
Body aid BTE ITE ITC CIC RIC
Specialized devices
- CROS/BICROS (contralateral routing of signal): unilateral hearing aid
- Bone Conduction Aid: conductive hearing loss
- Bone anchored hearing aid (BAHA): conductive and/or unilateral
Earmolds
Variety of styles and materials
- modify low frequency: venting
- modify mid frequency: damping
- modify high frequency: acoustic horn
Selection of hearing aid candidate
degree of hearing loss: thresholds, audibility index
- degree of communication problems: self assessment, case history
- motivation to use hearing aids
Pre-selection of hearing aid candidate
- pure-tone thresholds
- speech reception
- speech recognition (quiet/noise)
- maximum comfort level (MCL) and Uncomfortable loudness level (UCL)
Self assessments useful for hearing aid users
COSI: Client oriented scale of improvement
APHAB: Abbreviated profile of hearing aid benefit
ECHO: Expected consequences of hearing aid ownership
CHILD: child’s home inventory of listening difficulties
APHAB
- 24 items, scored always to never, measured aided vs unaided
- 4 sub-scales:
EC: Ease of communication
RV: Reverberation
BN: Background noise
AV: Aversiveness to sounds
ECHO
- global score + 4 subscales; rated from not at all to tremendously
- positive effect
- service and cost
- negative features
- personal images
CHILD
- for kids 3-12
- Parents assess child’s response to sound in home environment
- 15 items
- parent is asked to call child from another room and rate how difficult it is for a child to respond
- distance, noise, visual cues
- understand-o-meter (8 is great, 1 is horrible)
Hearing aid selection considerations
- style
- gain and frequency response
- multiple memories
- compression
- directional microphone
- noise reduction
- feed back reduction
- data logging
Special features for older adults - hearing aids
- considerations: dexterity, handedness, financial resources, level of independence
- Features: raised volume controls, tamper-proof battery compartments, headsets
Special considerations for children - hearing aids
- reliance on computer-based fitting protocols (DSL)
- on-going assessment and verification
- Parent report
Pediatric Device options - Hearing aids
- behind the ear vs other styles
- binaural
- feedback management
- real-ear measures
- electroacoustic assessments
- LING 6 sound
Fit one ear or two?
o 75% if US fittings are bilateral (12% in Japan, 35% in UK and 50% in Italy)
o Binaural stimulation typically improves
• Gain, localizations, sound quality, speech understanding (especially in noise), sense of sound balance, tinnitus masking, lessens fatigue of listening
o Binaural interference
• 10% of adults
• Actually do a bit worse with two than they do with one
Unaided Ear Effect
o Monaural fittings for symmetric hearing loss
o Auditory perception ability measured in unaided ear declines
o Later amplification = limited improvement
Acclimatization
o Changes in response to acoustic stimulation occurring over a period of weeks/months
o Dependent on brain plasticity and training/exposure to sound
o Varies by age, experience with amplification, type of amplification, degree of hearing loss, length of deprivation, auditory training
How can orientation be improved?
o Encourage patient to bring someone to their appointment
o Encourage patient to take notes
o Send information home in writing/pictures
o Check periodically to see what patient understands
o Follow up with patient
o Consider “boost your memory” video
Post-fitting counseling and orientation:
HIO BASICS
o Hearing Expectations o Instrument Operation o Occlusion Effect o Batteries o Acoustic Feedback o System troubleshooting o Insertion and removal o Cleaning and Maintenance o Service, warranty and repairs
Benefits of hearing aid orientation
o Increased satisfaction with hearing aids
o Decrease returns
o Decreased “drop-in” visits
o Increased referrals
What should patients expect from hearing aids
o Cost more than expected o Fit comfortably o Allow you to hear different levels of sound with comfort o Not filter out all noise o Protect from some loud sounds o Need repairs from time to time o Whistle sometimes
Cochlear Implants and Assistive Listening Devices: Sensory Devices for Special Cases
- surgically implanted electronic device
- stimulates the 8th nerve
- sound bypasses damaged parts of the cochlea
Implanted Components - cochlear implants
o Receiver
• Bio-compatible case
• Under the skin behind the ear
• Contains a magnet which couples to externally worn transmitter
o Electrode array
• Inserted into the cochlea to proved direct electrical stimulation to the remaining nerve fibers
External Components of the CI
o Microphone • Picks up sound o Speech processor • (Worn on body) or behind the ear o Transmitter/head piece • Small disk adheres to skin via magnet • Connected to microphone by small cable
What does the sound processor do in a CI
- captures sound through microphone
- converts sound into electrical/digital (coded) signals
- sends signals to transmitter through this cable
What does the transmitter do in a CI
- transmits the electrical signals to receiver by electromagnetic induction
What does the Recevier/Implant do in a CI
- converts digital signals into electrical signals and sends signals to electrode array
What does the electrode array do in a CI
delivers electrical signals through tiny electrdes to hearing nerve
Who can use a cochlear implant?
o Cochlear implant centers determine implant candidacy on an individual basis
o Class III medical device regulated by FDA
o 12 months to????
What do you consider when trying to fit someone with a CI
- age
- degree of SNHL
- benefit from amplification
- medical contraindicators
- support, expectations
- auditory environment
How many deaf individuals have a missing or damaged auditory nerve?
fewer than 1%
Multidisciplinary assessment for cochlear implants
o Audiologic Evaluation o Medical Exam o Auditory skill assessment o Language assessment o Psychological assessment o Educational placement evaluation o Ophthalmologic evaluation o Occupational therapy evaluation o Developmental pediatric and neurologic
Auditory candidacy (18 years or older)
o Hearing loss
• Moderate-to-profound (low frequencies)
• Severe to profound (high; >70dB HL)
o Aided speech recognition (at 70 dB HL)
• < 50% CI ear; <60% non-CI ear
• Sentence material
o Communication – part of “hearing world”
o Other – medical, motivation, expectations
Adult - Real life candidacy indicators (CIs)
o Difficulty carrying on phone conversations
o Difficulty understanding speech in groups or in background noise
o Heavy reliance on lip-reading
o Severe activity limitations and participation restrictions
Pediatric Candidacy: Infants and toddlers (CIs)
o Hearing loss
• Profound (>90 dB HL)
o Aided Speech Recognition
• 3-6 month trial of HA; little or no auditory skills
o Communication – emphasis on auditory input
o Other – medical, motivation, expectations, other disabilities
Infant/Toddler - Real life Indicators of Candidacy for CIs
- doesn’t respond to own name
- doesn’t alert to environmental sounds
Candidacy: Children 3 - 18 years for CIs
o Hearing loss
• Severe-to-profound in lows (>70 dB HL)
• Profound in mid- to high-frequencies
o Aided speech recognition (at 70 dB HL)
• < 30% best-aided word recognition
o Communication – education/therapy emphasizes audition
o Other – medical, motivations, expectations, other disabilities, duration of deafness
Useful assessments for adults - CIs
Sentence tests (BKB, CUNY, CID), HINT, MAC Battery
Useful assessments for school age children - CIs
Lexical neighborhood test; word tests (NU-Chips), Children’s home inventory for listening difficulties, C-HINT
Useful assessments for preschool children - CIs
Early listening function, ESP, IT-Mais
Benefits of cochlear implants
o Speech perception o Speech production and intelligibility o Social-emotional enhancement o Financial o For children – language and academic enhancement
Factors Influencing performance
o Duration of deafness o Age at implantation o Etiology o Mode of communication o Technology o (Re)habilitation o Motivation
Treatment Plans - CIs
o Hook-up and MAP • Timing varies • MAP individually created (T’s and C’s) • Thresholds • Comfort Levels • Neural response telemetry (kids) • Activation of multiple memories o Follow-up appointments o Therapy and monitoring benefit
Counseling: Care and Maintenance
o Placement of device on patient o Manipulation of controls o Battery o Troubleshooting o Accessories o Electrostatic discharge o Warranty
Educational team members & duties
o SLP and/or Auditory Therapist
• Monitor progress, provide direct SL services, troubleshoot, case manage, collaborate
o Teacher (classroom vs. itinerant)
o Audiologist
• Monitor devices & acoustics, troubleshoot, teacher support, in-service, direct AR services
o Psychologist/counselors
o Implant Team (information and support)
o Parents (communicate, advocate, inform)
Adult Expectations
o Detect speech at levels lower than conversational speech
o Identify environmental sounds
o Discriminate some vowels/consonants in closed-set format
o Better lip-reading
o Prognosis depends on duration of deafness, AR, cognitive function…
Hearing Age
o “age” of child in relation to duration of access to sound
o Development is anticipated to be commensurate with hearing age, not chronological age
• Ex. 3 y.o. child has been implanted for 6 months, hearing age = 6 months (alerting to sound environment, starting to respond to name)
• Catch up eventually, maybe – but in the beginning this is a great counseling tool
Pediatric Expectations Post implant (very young children)
o By 1 month – full-time use of CI
o By 3 months – changes in vocalization, alerts to name 25% of time
o By 6 months – alerts to name 50% of time, spontaneously alerts to some environmental sounds
o By 12 months – beginning to derive meaning from some speech and environmental sounds, improvements in language
Bimodal Stimulation - CIs
o Use of hearing aid in ear opposite CI
o Goal is to provide binaural benefit (similar to binaural H/A’s)
o Better localization and speech recognition
o Some improvement in performance in noise
o Requires fine-tuning of hearing aid to achieve maximum benefit
Bilateral cochlear Implants
o Simultaneous implantation
o Sequential implantation
o Potential for improved localization, speech recognition
o Requires AR to facilitate adjustment and maximize benefit
Cochlear Implant Controversy
o Deaf community • Denies access to culture • Experimental and unethical • Long-term benefit questioned o Proponents • Measurable benefit • Parent rights
Recommendations of the National Association of the Deaf (2010)
o Healthcare professionals should use a “wellness model”
o Parents/patients should be fully informed of the risks
o Medial should provide fair/unbiased options
o Parents should investigate all options
o Educational environments should advocate development of auditory, speech and sign skills
Hearing Assistive Technology (HAT)
- Also called assistive listening devices (ALDs)
- “Products, devices or equipment… Used to maintain, increase or improve the functional capabilities of indiviuduals with disabilities.” (Technology Related Assistance Act of 1988)
- Relates Environment = person - device
Purpose of HATs
- Used to overcome poor acoustic conditions
- To replace or supplement amplification or CI
- Specialized uses – alerting, safety, entertainment
What degrades acoustic signals?
- reverberation
- background noise
- distance from a speaker
Reverberation
- prolongation (persistance) of sound waves within a room as they reflect off surfaces
- reverberation time (RT) = time required for a signal to decay 60 dB after termination of signal
- prolonged RT results in decreased speech intelligibility
Noise
- any undesired auditory disturbance interfering with primary/desired signal
- ANSI recommends < 35 dB noise level in classrooms
- Average, unoccupied room noise levels = 51 dB
Signal-to-noise Ratio S/N
- difference between intensity of primary signal and competing noise
- Enhanced S/N increases audibility of speech
- Personal with hearing loss need +12-20 dB S/N to perform adequately – children with HL may need even greater S/N!
Noise + Reverberation
Effect is greater than the sum of each
- 10% reduction in WRS with noise
- 10% reduction in WRS with reverberation
- 30-40% reduction in WRS in noise + reverberation (Crandell, 1993)
Distance
- every time distance is doubled you have to increase the signal by 6 dB