{"title":"A \"virtual hearing aid\" for comparing hearing aids in children: a double-blind crossover study","authors":"I. Prinz, K. Nubel, M. Gross","doi":"10.1080/010503901316914520","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/010503901316914520","url":null,"abstract":"In this study, a \"virtual hearing aid\" was used to compare different types of hearing aids. A digital hearing aid (Oticon DigiFocus Compact) and an analogue, automatic reference hearing aid were compared in a group of 17 schoolchildren (median age: 10 years) with moderate to severe, symmetrical, sensorineural hearing loss. Differences in performance were assessed using routine diagnostic methods (speech recognition performance tests, loudness scaling), subjective assessments (questionnaires) and the \"virtual hearing aid\". Guaranteeing double-blind testing conditions, the \"virtual hearing aid\" offers the possibility to directly compare individual in-situ recordings of different hearing aids. In contrast to the clear subjective preferences for the digital hearing aid, we could not obtain any significant results with routine diagnostic methods. Using the \"virtual hearing aid\", the subjective comparison and speech recognition performance tasks yielded significant differences. The \"virtual hearing aid\" proved to be suitable for directly comparing different hearing aids under double-blind testing conditions.","PeriodicalId":76516,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian audiology","volume":"30 1","pages":"150 - 158"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/010503901316914520","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59014615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Newborn hearing screening: selected experience in the United States","authors":"D. Hayes","doi":"10.1080/010503901750166583","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/010503901750166583","url":null,"abstract":"Universal newborn hearing screening (UNHS) is rapidly becoming 'standard of care' in the United States. More than two dozen states now require, through legislative mandate, that the state establishes a system for early hearing detection and intervention (EDHI), beginning with mandated UNHS. In states with long-standing EDHI programs, the average age of identification and intervention has decreased significantly. In those states, infants are identified and intervention initiated typically before age 6 months, meeting the Joint Committee on Infant Hearing's (JCIH) recommendation for newborn hearing screening, diagnosis and intervention. Language outcome data suggest that earlier intervention results in better language outcomes for deaf and hard-of-hearing children. This article reviews the current status of UNHS in the United States, summarizes the Colorado statewide program and describes the JCIH Year 2000 position statement for developing comprehensive EDHI programs.","PeriodicalId":76516,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian audiology","volume":"30 1","pages":"29 - 32"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/010503901750166583","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59014741","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Threshold-based fitting methods for non-linear (WDRC) hearing instruments - comparison of acoustic characteristics","authors":"Karolina Smeds, A. Leijon","doi":"10.1080/01050390152704733","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01050390152704733","url":null,"abstract":"Six threshold-based prescriptive methods for non-linear hearing instruments were compared for a standard audiogram and three simulated listening situations. Six hearing aids were programmed according to the manufacturers' recommended initial fittings for the specified audiogram. Coupler gain measurements were then made with speech-like signals, and loudness and speech intelligibility index (SII) were calculated. Large differences between estimated insertion gain-frequency responses were seen. These differences resulted in large differences in calculated loudness, whereas the SII calculations showed only small differences between the fitting methods. For two of the methods, DSL[i/o] and FIG6, a comparison between the original prescriptions and the hearing aid manufacturers' implementations of the prescriptions was made. The results showed large differences between prescribed and implemented gain.","PeriodicalId":76516,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian audiology","volume":"30 1","pages":"213 - 222"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01050390152704733","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59014794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
M. Bille, Lene Munk-Nielsen, L. Tranebjaerg, T. Fagerheim, A. Parving
{"title":"Two families with phenotypically different hereditary low frequency hearing impairment: longitudinal data and linkage analysis","authors":"M. Bille, Lene Munk-Nielsen, L. Tranebjaerg, T. Fagerheim, A. Parving","doi":"10.1080/01050390152704760","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/01050390152704760","url":null,"abstract":"Two families with low frequency hearing impairment have been described previously. Family A (Danish) presented a sensorineural hearing impairment most pronounced for frequencies below 2 kHz and a pedigree typical for an autosomal dominant trait with complete penetrance (Königsmark type). Family B, originating from the Faroe Islands, showed conflicting audiological test results, making a valid classification impossible. The pedigree suggested autosomal dominant inheritance with incomplete penetrance. The objectives of the present study are to acquire longitudinal audiometric data, to clarify the mode of transmission, and to localize the mutant gene by re-evaluation of the two families. The methods used are evaluation of the family history, audiological examination and linkage analysis. In family A, update of the pedigree fitted the assumption of an autosomal dominant mode of transmission. In six examined subjects audiological data were available from the previous study. The median progression over a 13-21-year period was 13.8 dB HL for the thresholds, averaged across 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz and 17.5 dB HL for the thresholds, averaged across 2 and 4kHz. In family B, the probable mode of transmission is autosomal dominant with reduced penetrance. In this family no progression of the hearing impairment was found. Linkage analysis of family A showed a lod score of 3.53, indicating significant linkage to the loci DFNA6 and DFNA14 on chromosome 4, previously found to be involved in low frequency hearing impairment. Family B was not linked to the region on chromosome 4, further adding to the genetic heterogeneity in low frequency sensorineural hearing impairment.","PeriodicalId":76516,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian audiology","volume":"30 1","pages":"246 - 254"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/01050390152704760","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59014865","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
G. Barton, A. Davis, I. Mair, A. Parving, U. Rosenhall, M. Sorri
{"title":"Provision of hearing aid services: a comparison between the Nordic countries and the United Kingdom","authors":"G. Barton, A. Davis, I. Mair, A. Parving, U. Rosenhall, M. Sorri","doi":"10.1080/010503901750409394","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/010503901750409394","url":null,"abstract":"About one in five adults has some form of hearing impairment. This paper reports on a survey which found significant variation in the provision of hearing aid services across Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Per capita expenditure levels were estimated to vary from under 3 euros in the UK to nearly 10 in Denmark and Norway. Annual figures for the number of people receiving at least one aid varied from around eight per 1000 in the UK and Denmark to 2.2 in Finland. Over 50% of hearing aid users in Norway and Denmark are estimated to have bilateral aids, compared to under 15% in the UK. Estimates of the number of people who have a hearing aid in these countries are considerably lower than the number who have a hearing impairment. More research is needed to verify the true extent of these differences and their cause.","PeriodicalId":76516,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian audiology","volume":"30 1","pages":"16 - 20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/010503901750409394","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59015140","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The effect of a multichannel cochlear implant on phoneme perception","authors":"T. Välimaa, M. Sorri, H. Löppönen","doi":"10.1080/010503901300007056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/010503901300007056","url":null,"abstract":"This study was done to investigate the effects of a multichannel cochlear implant on phoneme perception in Finnish-speaking post-lingually deafened adults. Phoneme recognition was studied with 100 prerecorded nonsense syllables (open-set) presented at 70 dB SPL, auditorily only, in a free-field situation. Ten subjects were tested before implantation both with and without a hearing aid (HA), and 3, 6 and 12 months after switching on the implant. Before implantation without a HA, the subjects did not recognize vowels, consonants or syllables. Four of the subjects used a HA before implantation, and the mean recognition scores of these subjects were 34% for vowels, 28% for consonants and 13% for syllables. One year after switching on the implant, the mean recognition scores were 77% for vowels, 66% for consonants and 46% for syllables. According to phonological analysis vowels appear to be easier to perceive than consonants during the first stage after multichannel cochlear implantation.","PeriodicalId":76516,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian audiology","volume":"30 1","pages":"51 - 53"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/010503901300007056","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59013244","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A fitting strategy for digital hearing aids based on loudness and sound quality","authors":"A. D. Pastoors, Thomas M. Gebhart, J. Kiessling","doi":"10.1080/010503901300007083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/010503901300007083","url":null,"abstract":"In order to find an adequate fitting strategy for digital compression hearing aids a combination of two interactive fitting strategies was developed, one of these based on frequency specifice loudness (ScalAdapt) and the other based on overall loudness and on sound quality (Cambridge Procedure). This new fitting strategy was tested against the sound and overall loudness based strategy and against a prescriptive fitting strategy in a 2-weeks field test with questionnaires and in laboratory measurements, subjectively as well as objectively. With six sensorineural hearing impaired participants no straightforward results were achieved. Additionally, the different testing procedures indicate (in tendency) different fitting strategies to be superior. More subjects will have to be tested and innovative evaluation methods have to be considered.","PeriodicalId":76516,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian audiology","volume":"30 1","pages":"60 - 64"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/010503901300007083","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59013303","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Benefit of a digital feedback suppression system for acoustical telephone communication","authors":"M. Latzel, Thomas M. Gebhart, J. Kiessling","doi":"10.1080/010503901300007100","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/010503901300007100","url":null,"abstract":"Because hearing instruments have traditionally performed poorly during acoustical telephone use, the benefit of using a Digital Feedback Suppression (DFS) system for acoustical telephone communication was evaluated. For this purpose a special speech test based on the method and material of the Oldenburg Sentence Test was developed, presenting the speech signal via a telephone receiver. The correct coupling of the receiver and the hearing aid was monitored by means of a probe microphone. The word score was determined for two different settings of the hearing aid: (1) DFS activated (2) DFS deactivated. The difference in word score between these two conditions is an indication of the benefit provided by the DFS system. For almost all subjects, speech recognition at the telephone could be improved using the DFS system. This is a significant contribution in increasing end-user overall satisfaction with hearing aids.","PeriodicalId":76516,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian audiology","volume":"30 1","pages":"69 - 72"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/010503901300007100","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59013350","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"State of the art neonatal hearing screening with auditory brainstem response","authors":"J. Stevens","doi":"10.1080/010503901300006921","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/010503901300006921","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this paper is to briefly review some of the aspects of the auditory brainstem response (ABR) that are important in its use as a method of screening and assessing hearing in the neonate. The paper starts by considering the technical limitations of click ABR and explores the alternative electrophysiological methods. It then considers where ABR is required in the screening of neonates. The role of bone conduction ABR in estimating the conductive component of any hearing loss is discussed. Finally, the ability of the neonatal ABR to predict the long-term audiometric outcome of permanently hearing-impaired children is considered.","PeriodicalId":76516,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian audiology","volume":"30 1","pages":"10 - 12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/010503901300006921","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59013445","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The Finnish speech-in-noise test in MELAS mutation and other sensorineural hearing impairments","authors":"S. Uimonen, K. Laitakari, K. Majamaa","doi":"10.1080/010503901300007155","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/010503901300007155","url":null,"abstract":"A computerized adaptive Finnish speech-in-noise test has recently been developed. The purpose of the present study was to measure speech recognition thresholds in noise (SRTN) in patients with sensorineural hearing impairment (SNHI) caused by mitochondrial mutation [mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS)] and in patients with SNHI from other causes and to compare them with those in normal hearing controls. SRTN differed significantly between controls and the patients with SNHI from other causes and between controls and the MELAS group, but not between SNHI patients and the MELAS group. Hearing in a noisy environment seems to be as impaired in MELAS patients as in patients with SNHI from other causes, in spite of the possible coexisting defects in the central nervous system.","PeriodicalId":76516,"journal":{"name":"Scandinavian audiology","volume":"30 1","pages":"83 - 84"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2001-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1080/010503901300007155","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"59013493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}