An evaluation of the cross-check principle using visual reinforcement audiometry, otoacoustic emissions, and tympanometry.

Background: Early intervention to reduce the effects of congenital hearing loss requires accurate description of hearing loss. In pediatric audiology, a cross-check principle is used to compare behavioral and physiological tests.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the correspondence of visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) minimal response levels (MRLs), otoacoustic emissions (OAEs), tympanometry, and VRA test reliability to determine the odds of obtaining the expected cross-check results.

Effects of universal newborn hearing screening on an early intervention program for children with hearing loss, birth to 3 yr of age.

Background: Universal Newborn Hearing Screening (UNHS) was introduced in Kansas in 1999. Prior to UNHS a small percentage of newborns were screened for and identified with hearing loss.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of UNHS on a local early intervention (EI) program for young children with hearing loss.

The efficacy of Fast ForWord Language intervention in school-age children with language impairment: a randomized controlled trial.

Purpose: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the language and auditory processing outcomes of children assigned to receive the Fast ForWord Language intervention (FFW-L) with the outcomes of children assigned to nonspecific or specific language intervention comparison treatments that did not contain modified speech.

Method: Two hundred sixteen children between the ages of 6 and 9 years with language impairments were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: (a) Fast ForWord Language (FFW-L), (b) academic enrichment (AE), (c) computer-assisted language intervention (CALI), or (d) individualized language intervention (ILI) provided by a speech-language pathologist. All children received 1 hr and 40 min of treatment, 5 days per week, for 6 weeks.

Current state of knowledge: implications for developmental research--key issues.

This is the final article in a series of five review articles and one editorial that summarizes the proceedings of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders workshop on Outcomes Research in Children with Hearing Loss held December 12 and 13, 2006. The purpose of this article is to highlight the recommendations that emerged during the workshop, addressing the developmental needs of children with hearing impairment. The information in this summary is based on the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders workshop minutes available at http://www.

A multisite study to examine the efficacy of the otoacoustic emission/automated auditory brainstem response newborn hearing screening protocol: recommendations for policy, practice, and research.

Purpose: This article examines whether changes in hearing screening practices are warranted based on the results of the recent series of studies by J. L. Johnson, K.

A multisite study to examine the efficacy of the otoacoustic emission/automated auditory brainstem response newborn hearing screening protocol: results of visual reinforcement audiometry.

Purpose: This 3rd of 4 articles on a study of the efficacy of the 2-stage otoacoustic emission/automated auditory brainstem response (OAE/A-ABR) newborn hearing screening protocol describes (a) the behavioral audiometric protocol used to validate hearing status at 8-12 months of age, (b) the hearing status of the sample, and (c) the success of the visual reinforcement audiometry (VRA) protocol across 7 sites.

Method: A total of 973 infants who failed OAE but passed A-ABR, in one or both ears, during newborn screening were tested with a VRA protocol, supplemented by tympanometry and OAE screening at age 8-12 months.

Results: VRA audiograms (1.

A multisite study to examine the efficacy of the otoacoustic emission/automated auditory brainstem response newborn hearing screening protocol: research design and results of the study.

Purpose: Most newborns are screened for hearing loss, and many hospitals use a 2-stage protocol in which all infants are screened first with otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). In this protocol, no additional testing is done for those passing the OAE screening, but infants failing the OAE are also screened with automated auditory brainstem response (A-ABR). This study evaluated how many infants who failed the OAE and passed the A-ABR had permanent hearing loss (PHL) at 8-12 months of age.

A multisite study to examine the efficacy of the otoacoustic emission/automated auditory brainstem response newborn hearing screening protocol: introduction and overview of the study.

Purpose: This article is the 1st in a series of 4 articles on a recently completed multistate study of newborn hearing screening.

Method: The study examined the efficacy of the 2-stage otoacoustic emission/automated auditory brainstem response (OAE/A-ABR) protocol for identifying hearing loss in newborns.

Results: The study found that the 2-stage OAE/A-ABR protocol did miss a significant number of babies who exhibited a permanent hearing loss by 1 year of age.

A multicenter evaluation of how many infants with permanent hearing loss pass a two-stage otoacoustic emissions/automated auditory brainstem response newborn hearing screening protocol.

Objective: Ninety percent of all newborns in the United States are now screened for hearing loss before they leave the hospital. Many hospitals use a 2-stage protocol for newborn hearing screening in which all infants are screened first with otoacoustic emissions (OAE). No additional testing is done with infants who pass the OAE, but infants who fail the OAE next are screened with automated auditory brainstem response (A-ABR).

Evaluating the benefit of speech recoding hearing aids in children.

Children with significant high-frequency hearing loss may be difficult to fit with hearing aids using conventional amplification. Frequency-lowering hearing aids using dynamic speech recoding (DSR) technology have been proposed as a possible means to achieve full speech audibility. The current study investigated 78 children from ages 1.

Diagnostic testing for hearing loss in infants and young children.

An early, reliable diagnosis and description of hearing loss is essential in determining appropriate treatment to minimize potential developmental delays attributed to the loss. Objective assessment of auditory function is possible shortly after birth. Both objective and subjective measures of auditory status are used in a test battery approach to determine the type, degree, and configuration of the hearing loss.