Background: Before advanced noise-management features can be recommended for use in children
with hearing loss, evidence regarding their ability to use these features to optimize
speech perception is necessary.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relation between children's preference
for, and performance with, four combinations of noise-management features in noisy
listening environments.
Research Design: Children with hearing loss were asked to repeat short sentences presented in steady-state
noise or in multitalker babble while wearing ear-level hearing aids. The aids were
programmed with four memories having an orthogonal arrangement of two noise-management
features. The children were also asked to indicate the hearing aid memory that they
preferred in each of the listening conditions both initially and after a short period
of use.
Study Sample: Fifteen children between the ages of 8 and 12 yr with moderate hearing losses, bilaterally.
Results: The children's preference for noise management aligned well with their performance
for at least three of the four listening conditions. The configuration of noise-management
features had little effect on speech perception with the exception of reduced performance
for speech originating from behind the child while in a directional hearing aid setting.
Additionally, the children's preference appeared to be governed by listening comfort,
even under conditions for which a benefit was not expected such as the use of digital
noise reduction in the multitalker babble conditions.
Conclusions: The results serve as evidence in support of the use of noise-management features
in grade-school children as young as 8 yr of age.
Key Words
Children - digital noise reduction - directional microphones - hearing aids - hearing
loss - pediatric - perception - preference - speech perception
