Effect of Context and Hearing Loss on Time-Gated Word Recognition in Children.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine word recognition in children who are hard of hearing (CHH) and children with normal hearing (CNH) in response to time-gated words presented in high- versus low-predictability sentences (HP, LP), where semantic cues were manipulated. Findings inform our understanding of how CHH combine cognitive-linguistic and acoustic-phonetic cues to support spoken word recognition. It was hypothesized that both groups of children would be able to make use of linguistic cues provided by HP sentences to support word recognition.

Listening effort and perceived clarity for normal-hearing children with the use of digital noise reduction.

Objectives: The goal of this study was to evaluate how digital noise reduction (DNR) impacts listening effort and judgment of sound clarity in children with normal hearing. It was hypothesized that when two DNR algorithms differing in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) output are compared, the algorithm that provides the greatest improvement in overall output SNR will reduce listening effort and receive a better clarity rating from child listeners. A secondary goal was to evaluate the relation between the inversion method measurements and listening effort with DNR processing.

Consistency of hearing aid use in infants with early-identified hearing loss.

Purpose: To examine the consistency of hearing aid use by infants. A goal was to identify maternal, child, and situational factors that affected consistency of device use.

Method: Maternal interviews were conducted using a nonvalidated structured interview (Amplification in Daily Life Questionnaire) that included 5-point Likert scale items and open-ended questions.

Vocalizations of infants with hearing loss compared with infants with normal hearing: Part II--transition to words.

Objective: By 24 mo of age, most typically developing infants with normal hearing successfully transition to the production of words that can be understood about 50% of the time. This study compares early phonological development in children with and without hearing loss to gain a clearer understanding of the effects of hearing loss in early-identified children. A secondary goal was to identify measures of early phonetic development that are predictors of later speech production outcomes.

Vocalizations of infants with hearing loss compared with infants with normal hearing: Part I--phonetic development.

Objective: Infants with hearing loss are known to be slower to develop spoken vocabulary than peers with normal hearing. Previous research demonstrates that they differ from normal-hearing children in several aspects of prelinguistic vocal development. Less is known about the vocalizations of early-identified infants with access to current hearing technologies.