Language Outcomes in Young Children with Mild to Severe Hearing Loss

Tomblin, J. Bruce; Harrison, Melody; Ambrose, Sophie E.; Walker, Elizabeth; Oleson, Jacob; Moeller, Mary Pat

doi:10.1097/aud.0000000000000219

Cited by 419 publications

(382 citation statements)

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“…The cohort was recruited as part of a large, multicenter study of developmental outcomes in children who use HAs, known as the OCHL study. A battery of developmentally appropriate speech, language, and hearing assessments was given annually to each child older than the age of two and twice a year for children under the age of two over the time course of four years (Tomblin, Harrison, et al, 2015). To be included in the current analyses, children needed to have at least one visit during the OCHL study where ear- and frequency-specific audiometric threshold and measured HA verification data were obtained.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Children who have higher aided audibility through their hearing aids (HAs) have stronger general language abilities (Tomblin et al, 2014; Tomblin, Walker, et al, 2015), better parent ratings on auditory development questionnaires, and higher speech-recognition scores in quiet and in noise (McCreery et al, 2015a) than peers with poorer aided audibility. However, children’s HAs may not be fitted in a manner that promotes aided audibility across the range of input levels and frequencies that are necessary for speech understanding.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Perceptual Implications of Level- and Frequency-Specific Deviations from Hearing Aid Prescription in Children

et al. 2017

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Background The purpose of providing amplification for children with hearing loss is to make speech audible across a range of frequencies and intensities. Children with hearing aids (HAs) that closely approximate prescriptive targets have better audibility than peers with HA output below prescriptive targets. Poor aided audibility puts children with hearing loss at risk for delays in communication, social, and academic development. Purpose The goals of this study were to determine how well HAs match prescriptive targets across ranges of frequency and intensity of speech and to determine how level- and frequency-dependent deviations from prescriptive target affect speech recognition in quiet and in background noise. Study Sample One-hundred sixty-six children with permanent mild to severe hearing loss who were between 6 months and 8 years of age and who wore HAs participated in the study. Data Collection and Analysis Hearing aid verification and speech recognition data were collected as part of a longitudinal study of communication development in children with HAs. Hearing aid output at levels of soft and average speech and maximum power output were compared with each child’s prescriptive targets. The deviations from prescriptive target were quantified based on the root-mean-square (RMS) error and absolute deviation from target for octave frequencies. Children were classified into groups based on the number of level-dependent deviations from prescriptive target. Frequency-specific deviations from prescriptive target and sensation levels (SLs) were used to estimate the proximity of fittings across the frequency range. Lexical Neighborhood Test (LNT) word recognition in quiet and Computer-Assisted Speech Perception Assessment (CASPA) phoneme recognition in noise were compared across level-dependent error groups and as a function of SL at 4 kHz. Results Children who had deviations from prescriptive target at all three input levels had poorer LNT word recognition in quiet than children who had fittings that matched prescriptive target within 5 dB RMS at all three input levels. Children with lower 4 kHz SLs through their HAs had poorer LNT recognition in quiet and CASPA phoneme recognition in noise than children with higher aided SLs. Conclusions Children with HAs fitted to provide audibility for speech across a range of inputs and frequencies had better speech recognition outcomes than peers with HAs that were not optimally fitted to prescriptive targets.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Perceptual Implications of Level- and Frequency-Specific Deviations from Hearing Aid Prescription in Children

et al. 2017

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“…For five children, data logging was available at the subsequent visit, which took place 1 year later. Given previous research indicating that amount of HA use shows little variability starting at age 5 years (Walker et al, 2015), we based group membership on the later data logging values for these five children. For 13 children, only parent report measures from the HA questionnaire were available for determining daily HA use.…”

Section: Methods Participantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Influence of Hearing Aid Use on Outcomes of Children With Mild Hearing Loss

Walker

Holte

McCreery

et al. 2015

J Speech Lang Hear Res

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Purpose: This study examined the effects of consistent hearing aid (HA) use on outcomes in children with mild hearing loss (HL). Method: Five-or 7-year-old children with mild HL were separated into 3 groups on the basis of patterns of daily HA use. Using analyses of variance, we compared outcomes between groups on speech and language tests and a speech perception in noise task. Regression models were used to investigate the influence of cumulative auditory experience (audibility, early intervention, HA use) on outcomes. Results: Full-time HA users demonstrated significantly higher scores on vocabulary and grammar measures compared with nonusers. There were no significant differences between the 3 groups on articulation or speech perception measures. After controlling for the variance in age at confirmation of HL, level of audibility, and enrollment in early intervention, only amount of daily HA use was a significant predictor of grammar and vocabulary. Conclusions: The current results provide evidence that children's language development benefits from consistent HA use. Nonusers are at risk in areas such as vocabulary and grammar compared with other children with mild HL who wear HAs regularly. Service providers should work collaboratively to encourage consistent HA use.

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“…Experts in all communication options (eg, American Sign Language, spoken language) state that "a child must be exposed to an accessible language on a regular and frequent basis before five years of age to develop full language competence" [4]. Language and learning outcomes are significantly improved when hearing loss is identified and intervention services are begun early [5,6]. Mild and unilateral hearing loss in children can result in poor language or educational outcomes or lead to a child being incorrectly labeled as having a behavior problem [7].…”

Section: In 2007 the Joint Committee On Infant Hearing (Jcih) Issuedmentioning

confidence: 99%