Auditory performance of 40 5-year-old children was measured using a speech signal that simulated the amplified signal a child with hearing loss would hear. Subjects were restricted in their access to speech due to the hearing aid, the decreased sensation level (simulated hearing loss) at which they listened, and distance. (Contains references.)…

It is recommended that auditory-verbal clinicians working with children with hearing impairments and their families use a battery of specific language tests when providing an early intervention program that focuses on language growth. These multiple measures should include norm-and criterion-referenced instruments that specifically measure…

A survey of 81 adolescents with hearing impairments, 31 teachers, and 30 peers found adolescents who wore hearing aids reported communication difficulties more than half of the time when listening unaided in challenging listening environments. Teachers and peers perceived the adolescents experienced less communication difficulty than reported by…

Sixteen children with moderate to profound sensorineural hearing loss were trained on the production and auditory perception of sibilants over two 2-week periods. Perception performance improved significantly during training periods with a small amount of carryover to non-training contrast periods. Improvements in production performance occurred…

This study surveyed 35 mothers of cochlear implant (CI) candidates or current users on the relative importance of various topics in a parent-targeted intervention program preceding and/or following cochlear implantation. Suggestions for an optimal intervention include use of a multidisciplinary team, information on many topics and services, and…

Seventeen children (ages 8-10) with hearing loss were tested on four types of tasks (speech perception, phonetic awareness, recall of word strings, and comprehension of sentences with complex syntax) and results were compared to controls. Subjects showed evidence of restricted access to acoustic information in the speech signal. (Contains…

Four case studies identify six factors affecting successful use of a hearing aid with a cochlear implant: duration of hearing aid use prior to implantation, amount of residual hearing in the non-implanted ear, educational and listening demands, cosmetic issues, hearing aid rejection, and extended period of non-use of hearing aid. (Contains…

This article examines the latest technological advances in hearing aids and explores the available research to help families and professionals make informed decisions when fitting amplification devices on infants and young children. Diagnostic procedures, evaluation techniques, hearing aid selection, circuit and advanced technology options, and…

A study examined the effects of age at implantation on the development of communication abilities in 106 early-implanted children. Results revealed significant improvement in communication skills over time. Children implanted prior to age 2 had significantly faster rates of receptive vocabulary and language development than later-implanted…

A study involving 20 children (ages 4-9) using cochlear implants compared the articulation of those who used oral communication only (n=10) and those who used total communication (TC). Results from the Goldman-Fristoe Test of Articulation indicate those using only oral communication committed significantly fewer errors than TC users. (Contains…

Production of 19 word-initial two-segment consonant clusters was examined in 12 children (ages 6-16) with cochlear implants, including 6 using oral communication and 6 using total communication. Results showed that 48% of the clusters were correctly produced (75% correct for oral communication users and 21% correct for total communication users).…

A study examined the speech intelligibility of children (ages 1-15) with deafness who use hearing aids. Data revealed a strong significant trend toward higher intelligibility for children with more residual hearing, and a significant trend toward higher intelligibility for users of oral communication than those using total communication. (Contains…

A study examined language skills in 44 pediatric cochlear implant users. All participants received implants before age 6 and were programmed with state-of-the-art stimulation strategies (Continuous Interleaved Sampler or Spectral Peak) since the day of initial stimulation. Postimplantation language development proceeded at a pace that was not…

A study considered the validity of portions of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories (MCDI) for 50 pediatric cochlear implant users (ages 1-6) who exceeded the age ranges for which these inventories were normed. Results indicate MCDI scores plus age could be used to obtain Reynell Developmental Language Scales scores. (Contains…

A study examined the relationship between parent word familiarity and the language development of pediatric cochlear implant users (ages 3- 8). Thirty-two parents rated their familiarity with 150 words. Results indicated a significant relationship between parents' ratings and children's receptive vocabulary and language abilities, as well as their…