TY - JOUR
T1 - A comparison of NAL and DSL prescriptive methods for paediatric hearing-aid fitting
T2 - predicted speech intelligibility and loudness
AU - Ching, Teresa Y C
AU - Johnson, Earl E.
AU - Hou, Sanna
AU - Dillon, Harvey
AU - Zhang, Vicky
AU - Burns, Lauren
AU - Van Buynder, Patricia
AU - Wong, Angela
AU - Flynn, Christopher
PY - 2013/12
Y1 - 2013/12
N2 - Objective: To examine the impact of prescription on predicted speech intelligibility and loudness for children. Design: A between-group comparison of speech intelligibility index (SII) and loudness, based on hearing aids fitted according to NAL-NL1, DSL v4.1, or DSL m[i/o] prescriptions. A within-group comparison of gains prescribed by DSL m[i/o] and NAL-NL2 for children in terms of SII and loudness. Study sample: Participants were 200 children, who were randomly assigned to first hearing-aid fitting with either NAL-NL1, DSL v4.1, or DSL m[i/o]. Audiometric data and hearing-aid data at 3 years of age were used. Results: On average, SII calculated on the basis of hearing-aid gains were higher for DSL than for NAL-NL1 at low input level, equivalent at medium input level, and higher for NAL-NL1 than DSL at high input level. Greater loudness was associated with DSL than with NAL-NL1, across a range of input levels. Comparing NAL-NL2 and DSL m[i/o] target gains revealed higher SII for the latter at low input level. SII was higher for NAL-NL2 than for DSL m[i/o] at medium- and high-input levels despite greater loudness for gains prescribed by DSL m[i/o] than by NAL-NL2. Conclusion: The choice of prescription has minimal effects on speech intelligibility predictions but marked effects on loudness predictions.
AB - Objective: To examine the impact of prescription on predicted speech intelligibility and loudness for children. Design: A between-group comparison of speech intelligibility index (SII) and loudness, based on hearing aids fitted according to NAL-NL1, DSL v4.1, or DSL m[i/o] prescriptions. A within-group comparison of gains prescribed by DSL m[i/o] and NAL-NL2 for children in terms of SII and loudness. Study sample: Participants were 200 children, who were randomly assigned to first hearing-aid fitting with either NAL-NL1, DSL v4.1, or DSL m[i/o]. Audiometric data and hearing-aid data at 3 years of age were used. Results: On average, SII calculated on the basis of hearing-aid gains were higher for DSL than for NAL-NL1 at low input level, equivalent at medium input level, and higher for NAL-NL1 than DSL at high input level. Greater loudness was associated with DSL than with NAL-NL1, across a range of input levels. Comparing NAL-NL2 and DSL m[i/o] target gains revealed higher SII for the latter at low input level. SII was higher for NAL-NL2 than for DSL m[i/o] at medium- and high-input levels despite greater loudness for gains prescribed by DSL m[i/o] than by NAL-NL2. Conclusion: The choice of prescription has minimal effects on speech intelligibility predictions but marked effects on loudness predictions.
KW - Children
KW - DSL m[i/o]
KW - DSL v4.1
KW - Hearing-aid prescription
KW - Loudness
KW - NAL-NL1
KW - NAL-NL2
KW - SII
KW - Speech intelligibility
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84891108311&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3109/14992027.2013.765041
DO - 10.3109/14992027.2013.765041
M3 - Article
C2 - 24350692
AN - SCOPUS:84891108311
SN - 1499-2027
VL - 52
SP - S29-S38
JO - International Journal of Audiology
JF - International Journal of Audiology
IS - S2
ER -