title: Effect of hearing aids use on speech stimulus decoding through speech-evoked ABR.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The electrophysiological responses obtained with the complex auditory brainstem response (cABR) provide objective measures of subcortical processing of speech and other complex stimuli. The cABR has also been used to verify the plasticity in the auditory pathway in the subcortical regions.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the results of cABR obtained in children using hearing aids before and after 9 months of adaptation, as well as to compare the results of these children with those obtained in children with normal hearing.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fourteen children with normal hearing (Control Group - CG) and 18 children with mild to moderate bilateral sensorineural hearing loss (Study Group - SG), aged 7-12 years, were evaluated. The children were submitted to pure tone and vocal audiometry, acoustic immittance measurements and ABR with speech stimulus, being submitted to the evaluations at three different moments: initial evaluation (M0), 3 months after the initial evaluation (M3) and 9 months after the evaluation (M9); at M0, the children assessed in the study group did not use hearing aids yet.
  
  
  RESULTS
  When comparing the CG and the SG, it was observed that the SG had a lower median for the V-A amplitude at M0 and M3, lower median for the latency of the component V at M9 and a higher median for the latency of component O at M3 and M9. A reduction in the latency of component A at M9 was observed in the SG.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with mild to moderate hearing loss showed speech stimulus processing deficits and the main impairment is related to the decoding of the transient portion of this stimulus spectrum. It was demonstrated that the use of hearing aids promoted neuronal plasticity of the Central Auditory Nervous System after an extended time of sensory stimulation.
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Curso de Fonoaudiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: realeite@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Renata Aparecida
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Leite
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Curso de Fonoaudiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda Cristina Leite
authors.initials: FCL
authors.lastname: Magliaro
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Fundação Otorrinolaringologia do Hospital das Clínicas, Ambulatório de Saúde Auditiva Reouvir, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jeziela Cristina
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Raimundo
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Fundação Otorrinolaringologia do Hospital das Clínicas, Ambulatório de Saúde Auditiva Reouvir, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gândara
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Fundação Otorrinolaringologia do Hospital das Clínicas, Ambulatório de Saúde Auditiva Reouvir, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Garbi
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Fundação Otorrinolaringologia do Hospital das Clínicas, Ambulatório de Saúde Auditiva Reouvir, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo Ferreira
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Bento
authors.affiliation: Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Curso de Fonoaudiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carla Gentile
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Matas
keywords: Auditory evoked potentials; Audição; Auxiliares de audição; Child; Criança; Hearing; Hearing aids; Hearing loss; Perda auditiva; Potenciais evocados auditivos