An expert system based on rules and mobile apps to support the evaluation of auditory function in children from 3 to 6 years

Abstract

Nowadays, approximately 34 million children present different grades of hearing loss. This situation can affect their intellectual, psychological and emotional development. For these reasons, it is fundamental having tools based on Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and intelligent systems that provide support during the initial screening and assessment of auditory function in children. However, in developing countries - especially in South America -, currently there does not exist enough informatics tools to support the labor of Speech-Language Therapists (SLTs). For these reasons, in this paper, we present an expert system that relies on rules and mobile applications to support the evaluation of auditory function in children from 3 to 6 years. To determine the real feasibility of our proposal, we have carried out a pilot experiment with a team of 30 experts SLTs. The achieved results show high levels of acceptation by SLTs and children side.