Diagnostics

Digital Noise Reduction and Speech Perception

It has been previously demonstrated that younger children with normal hearing and younger children with hearing loss do worse with regard to speech perception in noise, than do older children. Specifically, younger children need a better signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than do older children (and adults) to perform at the same/similar level. Stelmachowicz et al (2010) report that previous adult-based studies have shown noise reduction (NR) does improve listening comfort and does decrease listening effort. However, NR does not improve or impair speech recognition in noisy backgrounds.

Screening for NIHL via OAEs?

Helleman, Jansen, and Dreschler evaluated 233 workers exposed to printing office noises via pure-tone (PT) audiometry as well as transient-evoked and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs and DPOAEs, respectively) over a 17-month period. The overall median age of the employees was 42 years and included 99 percent males. Two primary issues were investigated: (1) A quality criterion of OAEs based on signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and (2) the effects of noise exposure with respect to audiograms and OAEs.

Spectral Transposition and Consonant Identification

Fullgrabe, Baer, and Moore (2010) investigated the potential benefits with regard to consonant identification for people with severe-to-profound high-frequency hearing loss and with normal hearing in the low frequencies, based on a specific form of frequency transposition. They defined the "source band" as the high-frequency band where the hearing loss is severe to profound and the "destination" band as the band in which the transposed acoustic information was placed. The destination band is located just above the region of normal or near-normal hearing.

CHARGE Syndrome 2010

In their new book, CHARGE Syndrome, Hartshorne, Hefner, Davenport, and Thelin (2011, Plural Publishing) offer an extraordinarily in-depth, authoritative and comprehensive discussion of CHARGE Syndrome.

CHARGE is an acronym, “C” represents coloboma, “H” represents heart, “A” represents atresia, “R” represents retardation of growth and development, “G” represents genitourinary and “E” represents ear anomalies and hearing loss. CHARGE syndrome is caused by a defect in one or more genes (including CHD7) which is of critical importance during embryonic development.

Preeclampsia and Hearing Loss?

Baylan et al (2010) investigated whether preeclampsia appears to be a risk factor for permanent hearing loss and/or cochlear damage. The authors report approximately 5 to 7 percent of all pregnancies involve preeclampsia, which is characterized by large quantities of protein in the urine and high blood pressure. The heart, eyes, and kidneys can be negatively impacted by preeclampsia secondary to ischemia, vasoconstriction, and autoimmune responses, and the ear is known to be susceptible to damage from these same processes.

How Much ABR Threshold Data Can be Obtained While Infants Sleep?

Janssen, Usher, and Stapells (2010) reviewed the charts of 188 ABR evaluations on 184 children over a 20-month period from 2005 to 2007. They report that 116 sedated ABR protocols (median age 23 months) and 72 non-sedated ABR protocols (median age four months). The authors note that for children older than six months of age, sedation is their standard protocol and chloral hydrate is the sedative employed in their facility. The average dose reported was 55+/- 12 mg/kg.

Measuring Success in Myringoplasy

Kumar et al (2010) address the question: “W hat is the true success rate of myringoplasty in children?” They note successful myringoplasty (Type I tympanoplasty, repair of tympanic membrane) rates quoted to parents of pediatric candidates may not necessarily reflect true success rates. The authors reveal several factors that may impact the definition of “success rate” and note these may include an intact tympanic membrane as measured 12 months post-op, the presence or absence of fluid in the middle ear, and of course, audiometric results.

Saliva Screening Test for CMV

Rabin (2011) reports in the New York Times that a new saliva-based test offers a rapid, inexpensive, and highly accurate method for screening newborns for cytomegalovirus (CMV). CMV is known to cause permanent hearing loss.

Hearing Aid Benefits During the First Month

Hearing aid amplification improves quality of life and provides significant benefit for people with hearing loss. Unfortunately, only some 20 to 25 percent of people with hearing loss seek amplification, apparently due to cost, stigma, and perceived limits of amplification (Walden et al , 2009). Walden and colleagues (2009) reported that people with hearing loss must recognize and accept their hearing problems and the primary "ingredient" (with regard to successful amplification) is the patient's belief that they will benefit from amplification.

Stapedial Reflexes in Neonates

Berlin, Hood, and colleagues (2005) reported that when otoacoustic emissions are present and acoustic reflexes are absent a “strong suspicion” of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) should be raised. Further, given the earlier scenario, the authors recommended auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing test with positive and negative polarity clicks should be acquired.