Hearing Aid Candidacy

Question 1

5 Requirements of a successful Fitting

Answer 1

• General Attitude of Pt- Does pt think that they need HA’s?
• Age- Dexterity issues, Coping with loud or chaotic environments
• Cosmetic Appeal- Pt will only wear HA’s if it meets their cosmetic and personal wishes
• Use Time- Assessing a usage time but is not a full requirement of successful fitting
• Degree of Loss- determines both use time and satisfaction of HA

Question 2

Is slight for some and significant for others, sustained attention is difficult

Answer 2

Mild Loss

Question 3

Hears someone close without difficulty , speech shows articulation omissions , substitutions and distortions. They do benefit from HA’s

Answer 3

Moderate HL

Question 4

Patient understands loud conversational speech, but have difficulty in groups or noise. Can gain excellent benefit from a HA.

Answer 4

Moderately severe HL

Question 5

Hear loud sounds or a voice close to the ear. They even identify noises or vowels but miss consonants. A HA lets them function for ordinary purposes

Answer 5

Severe HL

Question 6

Do not rely on hearing for communication. The HA cannot compensate for the hearing Impairment. It maintains contact with the environment and allows them an awareness of what is going on around them, using auditory clues

Answer 6

Profound HL

Question 7

Any method describing gain at each frequency is a___

Answer 7

Prescriptive Method

Question 8

Any method comparing one product, slope, frequency, output or other measurement with another is a___

Answer 8

Comparative Method

Question 9

To increase or decrease specific frequencies in the speech range unit the response is no longer flat.

Answer 9

PMI- Pressure Measuring Instruments (comparative Method)

Question 10

Emphasizes speech discrimination scores in quiet and in noise, and aided SRT and tolerance thresholds using several different models of HA’s for comparison.

Answer 10

Carhart Procedure (Comparative Method)

Question 11

This concept involves providing enough gain at each frequency to correct the pure tone sensitivity to normal or 0dB. Is usually not an ideal method.

Answer 11

Mirroring the Audiogram (comparative method)

Question 12

Gives a practical guideline suggesting the gain requirement to reach MCL through the HA is approx. 1/2 the pure tone ANSI thresholds.

Answer 12

The Half Gain Formula (prescriptive method)

Question 13

1/3 HTL at each frequency, minus 5dB at 250Hz and 3dB at 500Hz

Answer 13

Libby Procedure (prescriptive Method)

Question 14

1/3 HTL at 500Hz and 1/2 HTL at 1k-4K Hz

Answer 14

Lybarger Method (prescriptive Method)

Question 15

The head blocks sound arriving from the unamplified side, causing high frequency attenuation. LF’s travel around the head easier than HF’s

Answer 15

Head Shadow Effect (monaural fitting)

Question 16

Occurs with prolonged use of amplification to one ear. The ear without amplification loses its ability to discriminate with measurable differences in a 4-5 year period while discrimination scores remain stable over time

Answer 16

Auditory Deprivation (Mon. Fitting)

Question 17

7 Contra-indications to Binaural Fitting

Answer 17

1. Degradation Effect
2. Poor Binaural Fusion
3. One Ear has a small Dynamic Range
4. Diplacusis
5. UCL very low in one ear
6. Patients feeling psychologically closed off or plugged with 2 HA’s
7. Physical factors such as multiple disabilities or motor skills dysfunction.

Question 18

When binaural discrimination scores are poorer than with the better ear alone.

Answer 18

Degradation Effect

Question 19

Audiometric thresholds are greatly asymmetrical and often longstanding

Answer 19

Poor Binaural Fusion

Question 20

A patient who perceives a different pitch on each ear is a poor binaural candidate

Answer 20

Diplacusis

Question 21

Uses one body worn hearing instrument with a Y shaped cord and a receiver and earmold in each ear. Thresholds must be symmetrical.

Answer 21

Bilateral Fitting

Question 22

Uses one complete hearing instrument on the better ear and a second microphone on the non functional ear.

Answer 22

BiCros

Question 23

For a person with unilateral loss or a non- functional ear and normal hearing on the better ear

Answer 23

Cros

Question 24

Are useful for bilateral atresia, chronic draining ears or massive conductive components with sensorineural involvement

Answer 24

Bone Conduction Fitting

Question 25

What are some potential reasons for unaidable ears

Answer 25

1. Profound sensorineural loss where maximum amplification cannon reach Pt’s threshold
2. Severe or profound mixed losses, like atresia
3. An abnormally small dynamic range (5dB)
4. Abnormally low UCL’s
5. Berry poor discrimination that degrades the better ear
6. Ear under medical treatment
7. Otolaryngologist recommends amplification be avoided

Question 26

The basic problem for clients with an asymmetrical hearing loss is

Answer 26

Discriminating speech from the side of the head with no usable hearing
An inability to locate sound
Hearing in the presence of noise

Question 27

Some patients with binaural amplification can experience

Answer 27

Degradation effect

Question 28

Dexterity of a Pt’s fingers enter into the choice of instruments because of difficulty in

Answer 28

Inserting earmold into the ear
Replacing the battery
Adjusting the volume or any of the controls of the HA

Question 29

A bone conduction instrument should be used when

Answer 29

The patient has chronic otitis media

Question 30

Pressure Measurement Instruments (PMI’s) are

Answer 30

Built to the sound pressure standard of 20 micropascals

Question 31

Properly selected hearing instruments should allow:

Answer 31

The pt to wear an instrument at a comfortable loudness level
Improved communication ability of normal conversational speech in noise
Better hearing, aided, than unaided

Question 32

Slope of loss can determine a successful fitting. A most favorable slop is:

Answer 32

Flat or gradually falling

Question 33

Calculations of amplified sound to Pt’s MCL do not include

Answer 33

Reserve gain

Question 34

Calculating prescription formulas are compared to:

Answer 34

Specification sheets

Question 35

The follow fitting requires amplification to two ears

Answer 35

Binaural