Question for all audiologists?

[gandalf at infi.net]

In article <5io4t1$2rui at newssvr02-int.news.prodigy.com> JLFB63A at prodigy.com (John Richards) writes:
>From: JLFB63A at prodigy.com (John Richards)
>Subject: Question for all Auidiologist?
>Date: 12 Apr 1997 14:06:25 GMT

>Why do Auidiologist give word lists such as ice cream, etc... that the 
>children know instead of word recognition lists of words that they so not 
>know?

The idea is to find the lowest level at which identifiable two syllable 
(spondaic) words can be correctly reproduced. If words that are not 
recognizable are used, such as nonsense words, an element is added which does 
not increase the accuracy of the test, but actually decreases its accuracy.

  Why don't Auidiologist when evaluating the child's hearing not >give the 
child sentences to hear and respond too?  When individuals talk >they usually 
talk in sentences not in one word.  Our teachers teach in >sentences not with 
one word. 

Generally it is not necessary with an intact auditory system to produce the 
whole sentence. In cases of suspected central auditory involvement, such as a 
problem in the brain, sentences are used. There are some who use a carrier 
phrase with each discrimination word, such as "Say the word base, etc." This 
does not necessarily add to the accuracy of the test, unless many words are 
missed, then the audiologist should repeat the test with the carrier phrase. A 
child who can score better than 88% without the sentence, does not likely have 
a major central problem. I agree, however with your premise, that the real 
world uses sentences, and that there is validity in a sentence approach with 
kids. Its just not always strictly necessary.

 As a parent it does not make sense 
that >when getting the speech perception % scores that words are given that 
the >child recognizes.  Because our child knows the words he only needs to 
>hear part and guess and get it right.  Every Audiologist he has gone to 
>gives the same list of words.  

True, however, ther is little likelihood of guessing, as there are thousands 
of word possibilities in each list. The audiologist would be unlikely to give 
the same list more than once. We mark on the form which particular list we 
used for each test, so as to reduce the likelihood of this happening.

To me, getting the true picture of what >the 
child hears their needs to be two sets of scores plus their always >needs to 
be in quiet and in noise.  The only place I know that our son is >placed in a 
quiet room is when he has his hearing tested in the sound >booth.  Most rooms 
where he is will have the HVAC system on, lights on, >ect... I hope there is 
some input to this issue from Audiologists.

You raise a good point. Noise testing is very important in some cases. The 
main reason we test in a sound proof booth is to find the level of hearing 
which is unaffected by extraneous factors, such as noise. Some types of noise 
can actually interfere with the test, when there is no pathology present in 
the patient. In order to be certain of the maximum hearing status, without 
unfair biases from other factors, booths are used. I see many kids who fail 
school screenings, but have normal hearing, because they were distracted by 
other children, or lights, etc. A good audiologist will also test for hearing 
in noise when that is indicated or requested. 

Michael Ridenhour