Comparison of Relative Loudness Judgment in Children using Listening Devices with Typically Developing Children
1Department of Audiology, All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru, Karnataka, India.
International Archives of Otorhinolaryngology
|February 5, 2021
Summary
Children using hearing aids and cochlear implants can develop loudness perception skills. While cochlear implant users scored lower, both hearing aid and cochlear implant users showed comparable loudness judgment abilities.
Area of Science:
- Auditory perception
- Pediatric audiology
- Hearing device technology
Background:
- Loudness perception is crucial for understanding emotions, distance, and stress.
- Digital hearing devices with compression circuits may alter loudness perception in children.
- Impaired loudness perception can hinder children's understanding of acoustic signals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the relative loudness judgment in children using listening devices with typically developing children.
- To investigate the impact of hearing aids and cochlear implants on loudness perception in children.
Main Methods:
- A standard group comparison design evaluated 60 children (20 normal-hearing, 20 hearing aid users, 20 cochlear implant users).
- A two-alternate forced-choice technique was used to assess relative loudness judgment of everyday sounds.
- Children identified louder picturized sound sources.
Main Results:
- Most participants achieved good scores; children with cochlear implants generally scored lower.
- Cochlear implant users demonstrated significantly lower scores compared to normal-hearing children.
- No significant score difference was found between normal-hearing and hearing aid users, or between the two hearing-impaired groups.
Conclusions:
- Children using non-linear hearing aids or cochlear implants can develop relative loudness judgment despite altered loudness perception.
- Further research is needed to study loudness growth for electrical stimuli in cochlear implant users.
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