Sensory Aid Exam

Question 1

Why might you take an earmould impression?

Answer 1

Hearing aid earmould
ITE hearing aid
Swim plugs
Musicians ear plugs

Question 2

Name 5 different materials that earmoulds can be made from?

Answer 2

• Soft acrylic
• Hard acrylic
• Silicon, micropore, microflex
• Ultraviolet cured acrylic
• Gold, silver, titanium
• Poly-ethylene, PVC
• Vinyl
• Available in all sorts of colours and inserts

Question 3

What do you need to consider during your decision
for the type of earmould to be made?

Answer 3

• Hearing Loss
• Analogue/Digital
• Does the patient have an allergy?
• Does the patient have an active infection?
• Does the patient have a perforation?
• If so is it dry or wet
• Is the patient a child?
• Manual dexterity of patient

Question 4

What are 3 types of complex impressions?

Answer 4

• Mastoid Cavities
• Open Jaw Impressions
• Deep impressions
• Other special consideration

Question 5

What do you need to ensure when doing a mastoid impression?

Answer 5

*Thorough otoscopy
*Use multiple otostops
*Insertion depth
*Hold strings
*Careful removal

Question 6

Why do we take an open jaw impression?

Answer 6

Increases width of ear canal, ensuring a tighter fitting ear mould

Question 7

What is needed for an open jaw impression?

Answer 7

• Mouth prop
• Tissue
• Extra care taken during removal of impression

Question 8

What type of hearing aids are deeps impressions useful for and how deep is a deep impression?

Answer 8

Completely in canal HA
Beyond 2nd bend

Question 9

What the other special considerations for impressions?

Answer 9

• Perforated TM
• Stenosis
• Children (<5 years of age)
• Infections
• Wax

Question 10

What else can impression material be used for?

Answer 10

Pinna Haematoma

Question 11

What is the different between ENT and audiologist in treatment of pinna haematoma?

Answer 11

ENT
Aspiration of pinna
tight bandage applied (pressure)
Antibiotics

Audiologist
Packs with impression material

Question 12

Why is probe tube calibration required?

Answer 12

ensure amplitude remains at desired level across frequencies

remove acoustic effects of the probe tube from REM

Question 12

What is an incorrect impression?

Answer 12

helix missing
underfilled tragus
impression not smooth
insufficient canal depth
concha missing

Question 13

what are the 4 considerations for soundfield equalisation?

Answer 13

– 50cm from loudspeaker
– 0o azimuth
– 0o elevation
– Probe situated next to patient’s ear

Question 14

What are the considerations for probe tube insertion?

Answer 14

– Adult males = 30mm
– Adult females = 28mm
– Within 5mm of TM
– At least 5mm beyond sound outlet of hearing aid

Question 15

What is the difference between gain and response

Answer 15

Gain- HA device output level and input level of stimulus
dB

Response- overall output level for a measurement
dB SPL

Question 16

What are the two choices of stimulus for REM

Answer 16

International Speech test signal and broadband noise

Question 17

Why choose REUG and not REUR?

Answer 17

REUG gives a more recognisable curve
can be compared to normative responses
can be used to ensure optimum tube
REUG can be used along with REOG to measure occlusion of ear due to earmould/dome

Question 18

What are the two methods of system calibration?

Answer 18

MPMSE
MPMCE

Question 19

What is MPMSE used for?

Answer 19

• Used for open fits
• Performed with patient and hearing aid in place, but muted
• Measurement is stored and used for the rest of the test
• If patient moves, you need to re-record
• We cannot use MPMCE for open
  fits due to the risk of sound leakage
  affecting the response

Question 20

what is MPMCE used for?

Answer 20

• Used for any hearing aid that does not use open fit
  technology
• Performed with patient present
• Speaker sound automatically and
  continuously adjusts to the desired
  signal level at the patient ear using the
  reference microphone
• Compensates for any patient movement