On a recent trip to New Orleans to attend the Louisiana Academy of Audiology meeting, I had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with Dr. Daniel Mochon, who will be the keynote speaker at the AAA 2020 General Assembly, sponsored by Amplifon. AAA 2020 + HearTECH Expo will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, April 1–4.
Topic(s): Behavioral Economics, AAA Conference, HearTECH Expo, Psychology, audiology, Hearing Health Care, Hearing Aids, Amplification, assistive-listening devices
Our clinical concerns for children who are deaf or hard of hearing center on providing audible and comfortable access to sound. Our counterparts in speech-language pathology focus on developing receptive and expressive communication skills.
Although our field excels at helping children with hearing loss who use auditory technology (i.e., hearing aids and/or cochlear implants) acquire speech, language, and hearing skills, we do not necessarily shine in addressing how these children use their communication abilities in the real world.
Topic(s): Psychology, speech-language pathologist, Hearing Loss, Cochlear Implants (CI), speech production, speech intelligibility, language, speech-in-noise
The standard behavioral procedures used to assess the hearing of very young children are powerful tools. Yet, even in the hands of a skilled clinician, they are nearly worthless unless the child is ready to be tested. Thus, it is helpful—indeed necessary—to draw on techniques that get the child to do what we want the child to do.
Topic(s): Psychology, Professional Development, immittance, otoacoustic emissions (OAEs), tympanometry, Audiometric Test, Acoustic, auditory brainstem response (ABR)
Twentieth century American psychiatrist and internist George Engle observed that, in addition to biophysical and psycho-emotional concerns, patients also exist within a social context encompassing family, friends, and community. Dr. Engel's (1977) biopsychosocial model of health-care engagement underpins what we recognize today as person-centered care.
Topic(s): Psychology
The Problem
Most audiologists probably have encountered a patient who produces within- or among-test discrepancies in audiometric results that have no medical explanation. This phenomenon goes under a multiplicity of terms. In addition to pseudohypacusis, nonorganic hearing loss, and functional hearing loss, there are malingering, dis/simulating, faking, feigning, conversion, hysterical, psychogenic, and more.
Topic(s): false and exaggerated hearing loss (FEHL), Hearing Loss, Psychology, Audiogram, speech-in-noise, dysphonia, spastic dysphonia, spasmodic dysphonia
