Lecture 3 Flashcards
Describe mild hearing loss.
25-40 dB
similar to plugging ears, may miss 25-40% of speech signal
difficulty learning early reading skills like letter/sound associations
affected by noise and distance
Describe moderate hearing loss.
40-55 dB
50-80% speech signal may be missed
without HA may understand conversation at 3-5 feet, FM mic systems with HA necessary in large group situations
without early intervention, children will have delayed syntax, limited vocab, imperfect speech, and flat voice quality
adults may avoid social situations or become depressed
Describe moderately-severe hearing loss.
55-70 dB
most of speech signal can’t be heard without hearing aids
with aids, good communication strategies and situations are necessary
FM mic systems with hearing aids required in large group situations
Describe severe hearing loss.
70-90 dB
without hearing aids, loud sounds heard from 1 foot away
with hearing aids, speech sounds accessible from a close distance or through remote mic
frequency lowering may be required for high frequency speech access
depending on configuration, may be candidate for cochlear implant
Describe profound hearing loss.
90-120 dB
bilateral = deaf
better access to loud, low frequency sounds with hearing aids
may require use of ASL
cochlear implant candidate
What is the normal hearing range?
-10 to 15 dB for child
-10 to 20 dB for adult
What are the effects of unilateral hearing loss?
access to speech at least on good side
difficulty understanding faint or distant speech or if aimed at affected side
difficulty localizing sound
impacted by noise
What are some impacts of acquired hearing loss in adults?
social isolation
cognitive decline
depression
dementia
physical inactivity
decrease in functionality/participation at work
What is the relationship between hearing aids and cognitive decline?
cognitive decline slows/decreases after hearing aid use
What is the relationship between dementia and hearing loss?
adults 45-65 with hearing loss have 90% increased chance of developing dementia compared to someone without hearing loss
complex relationship, 2 way street
What was found in the study on dementia and hearing loss?
2 way street
- does hearing aid use reduce risk of dementia?
- does higher cognitive function increase hearing aid use?
- adults without cognitive impairment who used hearing aids regularly had reduced odds of dementia compared to those who did not persist with hearing aids
- adults with dementia diagnosis had 54% reduced odds of being persistent hearing aid users compared to those without diagnosis
What are some of the listening needs of children with hearing loss?
require more speech audibility
more gain, higher SNR, broader audible bandwidth of speech
What is the electroacoustic based approach to fitting?
hearing aid takes conversational speech across all frequencies and makes it so listener can hear it without straining but also without discomfort
we measure every single hearing aid we provide to ensure conversational speech is meeting targets
- need it to be above the child’s hearing threshold but below child’s level of discomfort
What is sensation level?
area from threshold (lowest person can hear) to the target level/level of amplified speech
- desired sensation level method
best level for user to access speech across frequencies without strain
What is headroom?
upper limit
between level of amplified speech and level of discomfort
don’t want it to be too high so that it is hurtful
setting the ceiling of the hearing aid
