Pediatric Audiology & Speech-Language Exam Notes

What is an example of an error in speech

deletion of speech sounds

omission of speech sounds

distortion of speech sounds

what is an example of an error in

language

slow rate of speech

higher pitch

reduced intonation

syntax/semantic

/prosody/pragmatic difficulty

A person is considered deaf if they have a

loss of what dB or greater?

75 dB or greater

(hard of hearing thresholds within 20-70

what are the 4 variables that affect speech and language production in kids with hearing loss?

1) age of onset

2) age of intervention

3) aided thresholds

4) family attitudes

For hard of hearing kids, what is the most frequent speech difficulty?

frequent omission of final consonants or

distortion of high frequency fricatives

If a child is 5 years old and was implanted at 3 years old, what is their hearing age?

2 years old (compare to speech and language norms of 2 year olds)

What are the 5 terms in the auditory skill assessment ladder?

awareness

detection

discrimination

identification

comprehension

If the teachers voice is 75 dB SPL at 2 feet,

what is the volume of her voice at 8 feet?

63 feet

2 doubled is 4 feet, subtract 6

4 doubled is 8 feet subtract 6

If the speech signal is 70 dB SPL and the

background noise is 60 dB SPL, what is the

SNR?

+ 10 dB SPL

(remember, + means signal is

louder than noise, - means noise is louder

than signal)

What are Matkin's special considerations for fitting children with hearing aids?

1) Fit slight to profound

2) BTEs are best

3) Careful of SSPL90/MPO because of size

of child's ear canal

4) Need ALDs too (mainly FM systems)

5) Condition of HAs can equal parents' acceptance of HL

6) Need ongoing audiological monitoring

Fill in the blank:

Low frequencies

carry the _______ of speech

volume/melody

Fill in the blank:

high frequencies

carry the_______ of speech

meaning

Why can we understand speech sounds from men, women, and children when they all have formants at different frequencies?

all speech sounds have the same relative

distance between F1 and F2 even if they occur at different frequencies

According to the all-powerful speech banana,if a person has a 45 dB flat

loss, what speech sounds can they hear?

low frequency consonants and

most vowels (starting at 60 dB no speech

sounds are heard)

what are formants?

Resonances in the vocal tract that cause some frequencies to have more energy than other frequencies

What is one of the two tests we can use to screen newborns for hearing loss?

ABR (auditory brainstem response)

OAEs (otoacoustic emissions)

Why is it best to intervene as early as possible for children with hearing loss?

The earlier the intervention, the more similar their speech and language

will be to their peers.

(prior to 6 mo = average or near normal development)

At how many months do we want to begin intervention for a child with hearing loss?

6 months

(1 mo = screen

3 mo = identify

6 mo = intervention)

how far into the auditory system does ABR test?

up to brainstem

how far into the auditory system do OAEs test?

Outer hair cells

name reasons BTEs are best for children?

Can change EM as the child

grows (and can be soft EM)

strong telecoil

sturdier device

What are the 3 elements that can hinder communication in a classroom?

SNR

Reverberation

Distance

list the 8 things you would cover in an inservice

1) anatomy and physiology of auditory system

2) types of HL

3) degree of HL

4) signs of HL

5) impact of HL on speech/language/reading/academics

6) HA troubleshooting and monitoring

7) suggestions for visual teaching

8) simulated HL example

For auditory training purposes (NOT

speech reading), list manner, voice, and place from the easiest to most difficult to differentiate.

voice, manner, place

What are the 5 steps for fitting a child

with hearing aids?

1) audiological assessment

2) obtain medical clearance from ENT

3) select HAs (BTEs)

4) HA monitoring

5) Parental management

(education and counseling)