One-channel and multichannel digitally programmable hearing aids in children with hearing impairment

The introduction of digital technology for programming and new signal processing in modern hearing aid systems has led to considerable progress in rehabilitation of hearing impairments. In this report, our experience with the clinical use of one-band and multiband digitally programmable hearing aids for children with sensorineural hearing impairment is described. In 65 children with various threshold configurations and degrees of hearing impairment, different programmable digital hearing aids were fitted. Various audiometric tests, fitting methods, and subjective patient responses were used in order to examine the possibilities and limits of hearing aid use. Multiband hearing devices gave the best results in clinical tests as well as with regard to subjective patient responses. This study shows the potential of this new hearing aid technology as an alternative for a variety of pediatric hearing impairments.