Speech Perception Ability and Spatial Release from Masking in Children
with Single-Sided Deafness Aided with Bone Conduction Devices
Abstract
Abstract Objectives: To investigate the hearing outcomes of speech
perception ability and spatial release from masking (SRM) in paediatric
single-sided deafness (SSD) patients aided with a non-invasive bone
conduction hearing aid (BCD). Design: Speech perception tests were
performed using the Chinese Mandarin Speech Test Materials. Setting: The
experiment was conducted in a sound-attenuated audiometric booth.
Participants: Seven school-aged children with SSD and a group of seven
age-related normal hearing (NH) children as a comparison group were
included. Main outcome measures: Speech perception in quiet was measured
using the speech discrimination score (SDS, in %). Speech perception in
noise was tested with the speech reception threshold (SRT, in dB
signal-to-noise ratio [SNR]). SRM was calculated as the difference
in SRT between when the masking of SSN was Co-located and when it was
spatially separated from the target speech signals. Results: The results
confirmed that children with normal bilateral hearing experienced
greater speech perception ability and SRM than those with SSD. BCDs
remarkably improved speech perception ability in quiet and noise for
those with SSD, but there was no statistical improvement of SRM after
short-term use. For NH school-aged children, SRM continued to change
with age. Conclusion: The outcomes demonstrated substantial benefits in
speech perception ability for SSD patients aided with BCDs. Further
studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to explore whether SRM
can be improved by hearing adaptation.