Hearing-aid fitting in profoundly hearing-impaired children. Comparison of prescription rules.
Generally, the performance of a hearing-impaired child with his or her hearing aids is the major criterion in selection programmes for cochlear implantation. Thereto, it has to be considered whether the hearing-aid fitting is optimal. For this purpose, methods which prescribe hearing-aid gain are valuable, especially in young preverbal children. Three of these methods were evaluated by comparing the calculated and measured gain as a function of frequency in a selected group of profoundly hearing-impaired children (n = 16), all of whom were successful users of hearing aids. Fair agreement was found for the modified NAL rule applicable in profoundly hearing-impaired subjects and the DSL method (desired sensation level method).
Snik
A F
AF
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
van den Borne
S
S
Brokx
J P
JP
Hoekstra
C
C
D000293:Adolescent; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D002648:Child; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D018579:Patient Selection; D055656:Prescriptions; D017755:Prosthesis Fitting