Parts and pieces
What is 1 of the 2 ways a HA can be powered?
1) zinc air battery (5-7 day lifespan)
2) lithium ion battery (recharge every night)
True or false: there is only a benefit to practicing speech reading if you have hearing loss.
FALSE! We all use speech reading to a degree. Practicing speech reading can be helpful to anyone!
What is one of the 2 things a pt NEEDS to practice before leaving your office after a hearing aid fitting?
1) How to put in the HA and take it out
2) how to change the battery or how to insert the HA into the charger
What is the best and simplest subjective test for HA verification?
Simply ask the patient how the HAs sound
When would it be better to use an infrared system over an FM system?
Large theaters or churches where there might not always be a direct line of sight and where there is also little sunlight
You see a T next to a switch on a BTE HA. What does the T stand for?
Telecoil (picks up electromagnetic info instead of acoustic. Like very specific bluetooth)
There are 3 communication strategies. Which is the best to practice/utilize for an elderly patient who is too nervous to do any shopping for herself because she is afraid she will embarrass herself by not being able to understand the cashier?
Anticipatory strategies. What might the cashier say?
OR
Assertive. It's okay to tell the cashier to speak up and slow down because you have hearing loss!
A pt comes in with a dead HA. What is one of the first 2 things you should check? (as SLP or AuD)
1) battery
2) filter
What are the 3 measurements a HA matrix is made up of?
1) Output
2) Gain
3) Slope
A 3 year old with a moderate to moderately severe SNHL in both ears comes into your audiology clinic. What HA do you fit her with?
BTE with EMs (and child proof battery door!)
There are 5 basic components of a HA. list 3.
1) Microphone
2) Amplifier
3) Receiver
4) Volume control
5) Power source
There are 3 communication strategies. Which of the 3 would best benefit a pt who no longer goes out with more than 1 friend at a time because they cannot hear in group settings?
Need to be assertive
What can the speaker do to best help the person with HL (hearing impaired sits in middle of table, outside seating in quieter area, go to area with more light to better see speakers' faces, etc)
Name 2 ways we can monitor a HA
1) ling 6 sounds (extra 100 points if you can list em!)
2) listen with stethoscope for weakness/distortion/noise
3) check battery
What is the equation for the relationship between gain, output, and input?
I + G = O
or
O - I = G
A middle aged woman comes into your audiology clinic. She has mild to moderate SNHL in both ears. She is a stay at home mom who is not often in noisy situations but would like to not strain as much when in small group settings. However, she does NOT want the hearing aid to show in case people think she is older than she is. What is the best HA?
IIC or CIC
What is 1 of the 2 basic components of a HA that is a transducer?
1) Microphone (picks up acoustic signal and transforms it into an electrical signal)
2) Receiver (or speaker - converts amplified energy back to acoustic energy)
Name 2 of the 4 ways a pt can use repair strategies
1) Repetition - "What did you say about ______?"
2) Clarification - "Did you say _____?"
3) Spelling - ask speaker to spell a particular word or name that is difficult
4) Writing - use if all else fails
Why do we do UCL testing? (HINT: has to do with MPO) (or maybe that hint confuses you even more)
To ensure we do not set the MPO (maximum power output) of the HA to an uncomfortably loud or damaging level
name and describe 2 of the 4 Electroacoustic measurements
1) SSPL90: measures output we ordered. Input 90 dB SPL and make sure it doesnt reach damaging or uncomfortable levels
2) Gain: measures gain we ordered. Input 50 dB SPL and measure output, then use equation to find gain
3) Equivalent input noise: makes sure circuitry isnt abnormally loud. Input 0 dB SPL and measure output
4) Distortion: gives percent of distortion created by HA. Input sound at 3 frequencies and see if there are responses at other frequencies.
Describe a loop system
Sound enters speaker’s mic and is sent to a wire around the carpet or ceiling. The wire uses electromagnetic energy to transmit sound. HA must be in telecoil mode.
For CI patients, what is threaded into the cochlea to replace the inner hair cells?
Electrode array (currently 22 electrodes)
Name at least one reason speech reading is a better tool for the hearing impaired rather than a way to completely compensate for their HL?
Speed of speech
homophenous nature of speech sounds (bury vs marry)
many speech sounds do not come with visual information (h, k, g, ng, etc)
name all of the ling 6 sounds
ah, oo, ee, sh, s, m
What is the gold star for objective testing when we verify a HA is fit appropriately?
Real ear measurements
A high school student comes into your audiology clinic. He has moderate SNHL in both ears. What is the best HA to fit him with? Why?
Likely a MiniRITE. Can connect to bluetooth or telecoil for better hearing in classroom, but smaller and more subtle than BTE.