Objectives: Bone conduction hearing devices integrated in softbands (BCDSs) are frequently not well accepted by children with conductive hearing loss due to pressure on the head, sweating, or cosmetic stigma. A non-surgical hearing system (ADHEAR) uses a new bone conduction concept consisting of an audio processor connected to an adhesive adapter fixed behind the ear. This study is the first to evaluate the audiological and clinical outcome of this novel system, comparing it with conventional BCDSs in a short- and mid-term follow-up in children under 10 years of age.
Methods: The ADHEAR was compared to a BCDS in 10 children with conductive hearing loss (age: 0.7-9.7 years). Aided and unaided pure tone/behavioral observational audiometry and, if applicable, speech audiometry in quiet and noise were performed initially with both devices and after 8 weeks with the ADHEAR alone. The subjective hearing gain and usage of the new hearing system, as well as patients' and parents' satisfaction were assessed using questionnaires.
Results: The functional gain with the ADHEAR averaged over 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz exceeded that of the conventional BCDS (35.6 dB ± 15.1 vs. 29.9 dB ± 14.6, p = .001, n = 9 ears). Speech perception in quiet and noise (n = 8) improved in the aided situation similarly for both hearing devices. The parents of 8 of 10 children evaluated the ADHEAR system as being useful. Minor wearing problems occurred occasionally. Eight children continued using the ADHEAR after the study, one received an active middle ear implant and one continued to use a BCDS.
Conclusion: The ADHEAR system is a promising solution for children with conductive hearing loss or chronically draining ears.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijporl.2019.03.014 | DOI Listing |
Int J Lang Commun Disord
January 2025
Department of Language and Cognition, University College London, London, UK.
Background: Global aphasia is a severe communication disorder affecting all language modalities, commonly caused by stroke. Evidence as to whether the functional communication of people with global aphasia (PwGA) can improve after speech and language therapy (SLT) is limited and conflicting. This is partly because cognition, which is relevant to participation in therapy and implicated in successful functional communication, can be severely impaired in global aphasia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Clin Med
December 2024
Unit of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Adult and Development Age Human Pathology "Gaetano Barresi", University of Messina, 98122 Messina, Italy.
This study aims to describe the stress levels experienced by parents of children with hearing loss who use conventional hearing aids or cochlear implants, and to assess the correlation between parental stress and the auditory skills acquired by the children. The study was conducted at the Policlinic "Gaetano Martino" in Messina, evaluating data from 42 pairs of parents of children using hearing aids or cochlear implants. Parents completed the LittlEARS Auditory Questionnaire (LEAQ) and the Parental Stress Scale (PSS) 18 months after the initial device (hearing aid or cochlear implant) had been activated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOtol Neurotol
January 2025
Department of Otolaryngology, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.
Hypothesis: Extracochlear electric-acoustic stimulation (EAS) between the round window membrane and the basal part of the cochlear bone exhibits distinct auditory brainstem response (ABR) characteristics.
Background: The use of EAS in individuals with residual hearing is becoming increasingly common in clinical settings. Ongoing research has explored the characteristics of EAS-induced responses in hearing cochleae.
Otol Neurotol
January 2025
Department of Surgery, The University of Melbourne, The Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, East Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Background: The aim of this study was to relate response patterns of electrocochleography (ECochG) recordings during cochlear implantation to pre- and postoperative hearing.
Methods: Thirty subjects with either flat (FA, n = 9) or sloping (SA, n = 21) audiograms before cochlear implantation were prospectively included. Real-time ECochG recordings were conducted via the cochlear implant.
Otol Neurotol
January 2025
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head, and Neck Surgery, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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