[Speech audiometry is an effective method for determining speech intelligibility in children using cochlear implantation systems].

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate speech intelligibility in children using cochlear implantation systems.

Material and methods: The study included 75 children from 4 to 14 years old, with an average age of 7.43±2.85 years, implanted with Med-el, Advanced Bionics, Cochlear and Neurelec systems. The group included children, who had been using CI for more than 1 year, without any other pathology, who could perform speech tests. The method of speech audiometry in free field was used before setting the CI processor, within 1 month after setting the CI processor. Russian speech material was used (M.Yu. Boboshko, E.I. Riehakainen, 2019).

Results: According to speech audiometry in the free sound field before fitting the speech processor the intelligibility of monosyllabic words was 73.06±12.92%; multi-syllabic words - 75.86±14.24%; monosyllabic words in noise - 73.15±10.70%; multi-syllabic words in noise - 79.01±12.28%. The results of speech intelligibility after setting the CI processor: monosyllabic - 79.28±12.26%; multi-syllabic-85.50±12.34%; monosyllabic in noise - 77.48±8.79%; multi-syllabic in noise - 85.05±14.26%.

Conclusion: Speech audiometry in a free sound field in silence and noise is a simple and effective additional method for correcting the parameters of CI processor.