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Considerations for Choosing Microphone Technologies for Students With Limited Useable Hearing Unilaterally
Erin M Picou1, Hilary Davis1, Anne Marie Tharpe1
1Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN.
Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools
|January 9, 2020
Summary
Current recommendations for unilateral hearing loss in children may not fully capture classroom realities. Evidence suggests a combination of remote microphone and contralateral routing of signal systems may benefit most students.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric audiology
- Educational audiology
Background:
- Current clinical management for unilateral hearing loss in school-aged children often emphasizes remote microphone systems and preferential seating.
- The effectiveness of these recommendations requires further examination based on existing evidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To conduct a narrative review of the evidence supporting current recommendations for nonsurgical interventions in children with unilateral hearing loss.
- To evaluate the efficacy of remote microphone systems and contralateral routing of signal systems in pediatric audiology.
Main Methods:
- A narrative review methodology was employed.
- The review focused on nonsurgical interventions for children experiencing limited usable hearing unilaterally.
- Six relevant articles were identified and analyzed.
Main Results:
- Survey studies indicated high usage and academic benefits with contralateral routing of signal (CROS) systems.
- Laboratory studies showed remote microphone systems (RM S) are beneficial when placed near the sound source.
- Laboratory findings suggested CROS systems may hinder performance in noisy environments, contrasting with survey data.
Conclusions:
- Discrepancies between survey and laboratory findings may stem from differences in real-world classroom dynamics versus controlled lab settings.
- Contralateral routing of signal systems may offer greater classroom communication benefits than laboratory studies suggest.
- Personalized recommendations considering student needs, seating, and talker location, potentially combining RM S and CROS systems, are advised for optimal outcomes.
