Pre-School Use of Integrated Wireless Hearing Aids and Transmitter
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Multiple case study analysis of wireless sound transmitter system use with receiver integrated hearing aids in the home setting by early identified deaf children
IRAS ID
124372
Contact name
Imran Mulla
Contact email
Research summary
The importance of an improved signal to noise ratio (SNR) for speech intelligibility has been widely established in the research. Younger children, with normal hearing levels, require significantly higher SNR values to obtain same speech intelligibility scores as older children and adults. Theoretically, this highlights the increased importance of an improved SNR for young children with hearing loss. To date the only technology available that could effectively provide a consistent improvement in SNR’s has been FM (frequency modulated radio wave) technology. Although FM technology has been used with older children regularly in school settings the ergonomics of FM technology bring with it practical limitations that raises challenges with pre-school use. These limitations can be overcome with recent advances in integrated wireless hearing technologies, providing an ideal and timely opportunity to undertake research looking to improve SNR and hearing outcomes for pre-school hearing aided children.
This research is studying three areas of wireless transmitter use with infants:
• identification of parents/carers’ frequency and duration of wireless system use, in daily situations, with their hearing aided children.
• comparison of the listening evaluation scores and language environment of pre-school children when using hearing aids only and when using wireless technology.
• qualitatively exploring the views of parents/carers on the use of wireless technology with their hearing aided child.This is a longitudinal study over a period of 5 months including a single intervention group of approximately 10 families of infants who have been identified with hearing impairment prior to 6 months of age. They will be provided with the latest wireless transmitter technology in addition to the amplification technology their child is currently fitted with at their local audiology department. Regular contact will be maintained with parents throughout the study and data being collected regularly.
REC name
East Midlands - Leicester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/EM/0229
Date of REC Opinion
17 Jul 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion