19th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 8-10, 2020 • Kansas City, MO
Listening In Noise: Considerations for Young Children who are Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing
Background noise is a continuous and constant challenge which children with hearing loss face when it comes to listening and learning. There is a variety of well-documented evidence which demonstrates that the signal-to-noise ration can be improved through the use of hearing assistive technology (HAT) not only in classroom settings, but every day listening environments as well (Crandell, 1993; Flynn, Flynn, & Gregory, 2005). HAT reduces the signal-to-noise ration in a listening environment as well as streaming direct input from the microphone on the HAT to the child’s hearing aids or cochlear implants. Reasons that this low signal-to-noise ratio and adequate access to sound is so important is because it has been found that almost 90% of what children learn is through incidental learning (Madell, 2016). The Marion Downs Center loaned personal HAT devices to families during the course of 6 weeks through their Marion’s Way Preschool program. Additionally, during this time these children wore a LENA SP recording device which recorded information regarding the child’s auditory environment breakdown, signal-to-noise ratios throughout the day, adult words, conversational turns, and child vocalizations. Additionally, aided testing in noise with and without a HAT was completed to understand the signal-to-noise ratio benefit that this child was receiving, and a pre and post interviews for parental perspective for opinions on the devices was administered. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between auditory environment, signal-to-noise ratio, and parental perspective on the use of HAT technology in order to understand the best possible listening environments for children with hearing loss.
- To understand the importance of signal-to-noise ratio and auditory environment in listening and learning.
- To increase awareness of environmental considerations on optimal listening.
- To encourage the use of HAT for children in home and school environments.
Poster:
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Presenter: Sandra Gabbard
Sandra Gabbard is an Associate Professor of Audiology at the University of Colorado where she is the Coordinator of the Pediatric Audiology LEND MCHB training grant, which supports AuD students and post-doctoral audiologists to expand their expertise in pediatric audiology. In addition, Sandra is the CEO/President and audiologist at the Marion Downs Center, a non-profit community clinic which provides services in audiology, speech therapy, and more.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Annelise Gerardi, B.H.S. is a fourth year doctorate of audiology student from the University of Texas at Austin. She is currently completing her Fellowship at the Marion Downs Center in Denver, CO. She completed her undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders with a minor in Disabilities in Society from the University of Florida in 2016. She is a great supporter of interdisciplinary medicine and is looking forward to expanding her knowledge and skills on how specialty care providers can come together to ensure the best possible care for mutual patients in her career, especially in regards to early intervention.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.