Audiology Exam Review Flashcards
Parts and Pieces of Hearing Aids & Communication Strategies
Hearing Aid Power
Hearing aids can be powered in two ways:
Zinc air battery: lifespan of 5-7 days.
Lithium-ion battery: requires nightly recharge.
Speech Reading
Speech reading is beneficial for everyone, not just those with hearing loss, as we all use it to some degree.
Initial Hearing Aid Fitting - Patient Practice
Before a patient leaves the office after a hearing aid fitting, they need to practice:
How to insert and remove the hearing aid.
How to change the battery or insert the hearing aid into the charger.
Subjective Hearing Aid Verification
The simplest subjective test for hearing aid verification is to ask the patient how the hearing aids sound.
Assistive Listening Devices: Infrared vs. FM Systems
An infrared system is better than an FM system in large theaters or churches where:
There might not always be a direct line of sight.
There is little sunlight.
Telecoil
The "T" next to a switch on a BTE hearing aid stands for Telecoil.
Telecoil picks up electromagnetic information instead of acoustic signals (like specific Bluetooth).
Communication Strategies: Anticipatory Strategies
Anticipatory strategies are best for elderly patients nervous about shopping due to potential communication difficulties.
Involves thinking about what the cashier might say.
Troubleshooting a Dead Hearing Aid
When a patient comes in with a dead hearing aid, check the following first:
Battery.
Filter.
Hearing Aid Matrix Measurements
A hearing aid matrix consists of three measurements:
Output.
Gain.
Slope.
Pediatric Hearing Aid Fitting
For a 3-year-old with moderate to moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in both ears, fit a BTE (Behind-the-Ear) hearing aid with:
Earmolds (EMs).
Child-proof battery door.
Gain, Output, and Input Relationship
The equation for the relationship between gain (G), output (O), and input (I) is:
I + G = O
O - I = G
Hearing Aid Recommendation: IIC or CIC
For a middle-aged woman with mild to moderate SNHL who wants a discreet hearing aid for small group settings:
IIC (Invisible-in-Canal) or CIC (Completely-in-Canal) hearing aids are the best option.
Communication Strategies: Assertiveness
It is okay to be assertive and ask the cashier to speak up and slow down due to hearing loss.
Transducer Components of a Hearing Aid
Two basic components of a hearing aid that act as transducers:
Microphone: Picks up acoustic signal and transforms it into an electrical signal.
Receiver (or speaker): Converts amplified electrical energy back into acoustic energy.
Communication Strategies: Repetition
Repetition: "What did you say about ?"
UCL Testing
UCL (Uncomfortable Loudness Level) testing is done to ensure that:
The MPO (Maximum Power Output) of the hearing aid is not set to an uncomfortably loud or damaging level.
Repair Strategies
Four ways a patient can use repair strategies:
Repetition: Asking the speaker to repeat what they said.
Clarification: Asking "Did you say _?"
Spelling: Asking the speaker to spell a particular word or name.
Writing: Using writing if all else fails.
Electroacoustic Measurements
Four electroacoustic measurements:
SSPL90: Measures output with input at 90 dB SPL to ensure it doesn't reach damaging or uncomfortable levels.
Gain: Measures gain with input at 50 dB SPL and measures output, then uses the equation to find gain.
Equivalent input noise: Measures circuitry noise. Input 0 dB SPL and measure output.
Distortion: Measures the percentage of distortion created by the hearing aid. Input sound at 3 frequencies and check for responses at other frequencies.
Basic Components of a Hearing Aid
Five basic components of a hearing aid:
Microphone.
Amplifier.
Receiver.
Volume control.
Power source.
Communication Strategies: Assertiveness in Group Settings
Assertive strategies are best for patients who struggle to hear in group settings and have stopped going out with more than one friend at a time.
Optimizing the Listening Environment
Speaker strategies that can best help a person with hearing loss include:
Seating the hearing-impaired person in the middle of the table.
Choosing outside seating in a quieter area.
Going to an area with more light to better see speakers' faces.
Monitoring a Hearing Aid
Ways to monitor a hearing aid:
Ling 6 sounds.
Listening with a stethoscope for weakness, distortion, or noise.
Check the battery.
Loop System
Loop system:
Sound enters the speaker’s microphone and is sent to a wire around the carpet or ceiling.
The wire uses electromagnetic energy to transmit sound.
The hearing aid must be in telecoil mode.
Objective Hearing Aid Verification
The gold standard for objective testing when verifying a hearing aid fit is:
Real ear measurements.
Ling 6 Sounds
The Ling 6 sounds are: /ɑ/, /u/, /i/, /ʃ/, /s/, /m/
Hearing Aid Recommendation: MiniRITE for High School Student
For a high school student with moderate SNHL in both ears, the best hearing aid to fit is likely a MiniRITE because it can connect to Bluetooth or Telecoil for better hearing in the classroom, but smaller and more subtle than BTE.
Speech Reading Limitations
Reasons speech reading can't completely compensate for hearing loss:
Speech is too fast.
Homophenous nature of speech sounds (e.g., bury vs. marry).
Many speech sounds do not come with visual information (e.g., /h/, /k/, /g/, /ŋ/).
Cochlear Implants
For cochlear implant (CI) patients, the electrode array is threaded into the cochlea to replace the inner hair cells.
(Currently 22 electrodes)