Speaking fundamental frequency in three groups of hearing-impaired individuals

The purpose of the present investigation was to provide speaking fundamental frequency data for three groups: 4-6, 8-10, and 16-25-yr-old hearing-impaired individuals. The hearing-impaired children between the ages of 4 to 6 and 8 to 10 yr exhibited mean speaking fundamental frequency values that were 55 Hz and 41 Hz higher, respectively, than values obtained for normally hearing children of similar ages. Fundamental frequency values for postpubescent hearing-impaired males and females were 20 Hz and 30 Hz higher, respectively, when compared to values reported in the literature for normally hearing individuals of similar age and sex.