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Purpose: Amplitude modulations (AMs) are important for speech intelligibility, and deficits in speech intelligibility are a leading source of impairment in childhood listening difficulties (LiD). The present study aimed to explore the relationships between AM perception and speech-in-noise (SiN) comprehension in children and to determine whether deficits in AM processing contribute to childhood LiD. Evoked responses were used to parse the neural origins of AM processing. Method: Forty-one children with LiD and 44 typically developing children, ages 8-16 years, participated in the study. Behavioral AM depth thresholds were measured at 4 and 40 Hz. SiN tasks included the Listening in Spatialized Noise–Sentences Test (LiSN-S) and a coordinate response measure (CRM)-based task. Evoked responses were obtained during an AM change detection task using alternations between 4 and 40 Hz, including the N1 of the acoustic change complex, auditory steady-state response (ASSR), P300, and a late positive response (late potential [LP]). Maturational effects were explored via age correlations. Results: Age correlated with 4-Hz AM thresholds, CRM separated talker scores, and N1 amplitude. Age-normed LiSN-S scores obtained without spatial or talker cues correlated with age-corrected 4-Hz AM thresholds and area under the LP curve. CRM separated talker scores correlated with AM thresholds and area under the LP curve. Most behavioral measures of AM perception correlated with the signal-to-noise ratio and phase coherence of the 40-Hz ASSR. AM change response time also correlated with area under the LP curve. Children with LiD exhibited deficits with respect to 4-Hz thresholds, AM change accuracy, and area under the LP curve. Conclusions: The observed relationships between AM perception and SiN performance extend the evidence that modulation perception is important for understanding SiN in childhood. In line with this finding, children with LiD demonstrated poorer performance on some measures of AM perception, but their evoked responses implicated a primarily cognitive deficit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses research which examined the development of hearing, speech and language in infants and toddlers born prematurely. The study determined the prevalence of speech and language disorders (SLD) and hearing loss in preterm children, early detection of SLD, and speech-language and pre-literacy deficits in premature children. It analyzed auditory measures and speech-language outcomes and described intervention methods such as enhanced speech environments and amplification.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to better understand the prevalence of ototoxicity-related hearing loss and its functional impact on communication in a pediatric and young adult cohort with cystic fibrosis (CF) and individuals without CF (controls). Method: We did an observational, cross-sectional investigation of hearing function in children, teens, and young adults with CF (n = 57, M = 15.0 years) who received intravenous aminoglycoside antibiotics and age- and gender-matched controls (n = 61, M = 14.6 years). Participants completed standard and extended high-frequency audiometry, middle ear measures, speech perception tests, and a hearing and balance questionnaire. Results: Individuals with CF were 3--4 times more likely to report issues with hearing, balance, and tinnitus and performed significantly poorer on speech perception tasks compared to controls. A higher prevalence of hearing loss was observed in individuals with CF (57%) compared to controls (37%). CF and control groups had similar proportions of slight and mild hearing losses; however, individuals with CF were 7.6 times more likely to have moderate and greater degrees of hearing loss. Older participants displayed higher average extended high- frequency thresholds, with no effect of age on average standard frequency thresholds. Although middle ear dysfunction has not previously been reported to be more prevalent in CF, this study showed that 16% had conductive or mixed hearing loss and higher rates of previous otitis media and pressure equalization tube surgeries compared to controls. Conclusions: Individuals with CF have a higher prevalence of conductive, mixed, and sensorineural hearing loss; poorer speech-in-noise performance; and higher rates of multiple symptoms associated with otologic disorders (tinnitus, hearing difficulty, dizziness, imbalance, and otitis media) compared to controls. Accordingly, children with CF should be asked about these symptoms and receive baseline hearing assessment(s) prior to treatment with potentially ototoxic medications and at regular intervals thereafter in order to provide otologic and audiologic treatment for hearing- and ear-related problems to improve communication functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This exploratory study assessed the perceptual, cognitive, and academic learning effects of an adaptive, integrated, directionality, and noise reduction hearing aid program in pediatric users. Method: Fifteen pediatric hearing aid users (6--12 years old) received new bilateral, individually fitted Oticon Opn hearing aids programmed with OpenSound Navigator (OSN) processing. Word recognition in noise, sentence repetition in quiet, nonword repetition, vocabulary learning, selective attention, executive function, memory, and reading and mathematical abilities were measured within 1 week of the initial hearing aid fitting and 2 months post fit. Caregivers completed questionnaires assessing their child's listening and communication abilities prior to study enrollment and after 2 months of using the study hearing aids. Results: Caregiver reporting indicated significant improvements in speech and sound perception, spatial sound awareness, and the ability to participate in conversations. However, there was no positive change in performance in any of the measured skills. Mathematical scores significantly declined after 2 months. Conclusions: OSN provided a perceived improvement in functional benefit, compared to their previous hearing aids, as reported by caregivers. However, there was no positive change in listening skills, cognition, and academic success after 2 months of using OSN. Findings may have been impacted by reporter bias, limited sample size, and a relatively short trial period. This study took place during the summer when participants were out of school, which may have influenced the decline in mathematical scores. The results support further exploration with age- and audiogrammatched controls, larger sample sizes, and longer test-- retest intervals that correspond to the academic school year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This report focuses on audiology productivity measures and targets, impacting variables, and implementation of productivity in pediatric settings and "life span facilities" with a significant population of pediatric patients. Research Design: A questionnaire was sent to 116 facilities in geographically diverse locations. Results: Of the 116 surveys sent, 25 surveys were returned (response rate of 21.5%) and 22 had sufficient data to be included for analyses. The majority of the sites measure productivity at the individual and/or department level. No predominant productivity measurement method was reported. Measurement methods included the following: appointment length (n = 6), weighting Current Procedural Terminology codes (n = 6), relative value units (n = 5), a combination of methods (n = 1), and other specific parameters (n = 1). Thirteen sites measured productivity as a percentage of scheduled worked time with a target of 69% (ranged from 40% to 85%). Many variables thought to impact productivity were evaluated: age of the patient, scheduling, use of a 2nd tester, no-show rate, hearing aid status, components of auditory brainstem response evaluation, documentation time, and monaural or binaural services. Schedule review and adjustment, efficiency, and communication with staff were methods reported to increase productivity. Conclusion: Most surveyed facilities measure productivity at the individual and/or department levels. However, there is no standard method. Current productivity measures include time-based measures based on appointment length, time-based measures assigned to Current Procedural Terminology codes, relative value units, combined approaches, and individual site developed programs. Many variables impact productivity measurements. Further study and discussion are needed to develop an optimal method for productivity measurement in audiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To add to the limited body of literature on ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP) responses in children and to assess a different montage for oVEMP recording. Purpose: To evaluate the characteristics of the oVEMP response in children and compare the results with that of a group of healthy adults. Research Design: Prospective descriptive study from a tertiary referral center. Study Sample: Twenty-two children (mean age = 6.3 yr, standard deviation = ±1.5, range = 3.5-8.9 yr) were recruited from families whose parent(s) were employed by the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (CCHMC). Pediatric participants were categorized by age into three groups for data analysis. The comparison adult group of ten participants were members of the employee staff at CCHMC. Data Collection and Analysis: Audiometric assessment was completed in all participants. The latency, amplitude, and threshold of the oVEMP responses were recorded using a modified electrode montage with reference at the chin and compared between the pediatric and adult participants. Results: All participants completed testing and had bilateral measurable oVEMP responses using a 105-dB nHL, 500-Hz tone burst stimulus. Comparison between right and left ears across all participants for each oVEMP characteristic found no statistically significant difference. oVEMP testing showed no significant differences with respect to latency, amplitude, interaural amplitude asymmetry, and threshold of response as a function of age. Conclusions: oVEMP responses for ages ≥ 3 did not differ from responses in adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The video head impulse test (vHIT) is a new tool being used in vestibular clinics to assess the function of all six semicircular canals (SCCs) by measuring the gain of the vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) in response to rapid head turns. Whereas vHIT has been validated in adults for all SCCs, there are few studies describing the normal response in children, particularly for stimulation of the vertical canals. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize the normal vHIT response for all six SCCs in children aged 4-12 years. Research Design: A cross-sectional prospective descriptive study. Study Sample: Forty-one participants were categorized into one of four groups based on their age (4-6 years, 7-9 years, 10-12 years, and adults) with at least ten participants in each age group. Data Collection and Analysis: The ICS Impulse system (GN Otometrics, Schaumburg, IL) was used to perform vHIT on each participant. Lateral, anterior, and posterior SCCs were stimulated by thrusting the head in the plane of the canal being evaluated and resulting VOR gain measures were calculated as eye velocity divided by head velocity. VOR gain of the pediatric age groups was compared with adults for all SCCs. Results: There were no significant differences in mean VOR gain between the three pediatric age groups for any SCC measured; thus, the pediatric data were combined into one group of 30 children for comparison with the adult group. Results showed that the pediatric group had significantly higher mean VOR gain than the adult group during left lateral SCC testing. A significantly lower mean VOR gain, however, was observed for the children compared with the adult participants for left anterior and right posterior (LARP) impulses. There was a large amount of variability in the data during right anterior and left posterior (RALP) impulse testing for both the pediatric and the adult groups, which was at least partially attributed to large pupil diameter in the younger participants. Test time decreased with an increase in age for all impulse conditions (lateral, RALP, and LARP). Several modifications were necessary to obtain adequate data on the pediatric participants. Conclusions: vHIT can be used to successfully measure the function of the lateral SCC in children as young as 4 years of age. Our results provide normative gain values that can be used when testing children with lateral vHIT. Care must be taken to obtain the most accurate measures and reduce variability when testing children, particularly with LARP and RALP. Our data would suggest that lower gain cutoffs should be used for LARP and RALP testing in children than the cutoffs used for lateral vHIT. Further research is warranted to study LARP and RALP response reliability and validity in children because of the highly variable VOR gains found in this population. Pediatric modifications for successfully administering vHIT and obtaining reliable results are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]