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Contralateral OAEs in children

Several studies indicate that small changes in the medial olivocochlear (MOC) reflex may possibly be associated with certain pathologies. This could be measured by using contralateral acoustic stimulation (CAS) and observing suppression in otoacoustic emissions (OEAs). The main aim of...

Speech perception in the ageing population

Speech perception can present a challenge as we grow older. One of the factors responsible is, of course, hearing loss. Now research indicates that other non-auditory factors like cognitive decline may also contribute to difficulties in understanding speech. The authors...

How best to manage single-sided deafness?

Nowadays there is a plethora of options for patients with single-sided deafness (SSD) including: Bluetooth contralateral routing of signal (CROS) aids; in-the-ear bone conduction hearing aids (TransEar); intra-oral bone conduction aids (SoundBite) and bone-anchored technologies (BAHA). Unilateral cochlear implantation is...

BAHAs in single-sided deafness doesn’t improve sound localisation

This systematic review from South Korea nicely summarises what we know about SSD (single-sided deafness) and hearing rehabilitation with BAHAs (Bone Anchored Hearing Aids). SSD was defined as a PTA greater than 90 dB and a normal hearing opposite ear...

Are we now safe at work?

Fifty years is a long time, yet the years pass in a blink of an eye. Where are we in comparison to where we were then, in terms of the occupational protection from noise exposure and ototoxicity, other than being...

All present and correct

You have ear protection, but are you using it properly? What are the risks over time? The design of standard earplugs has changed a lot in a decade. Earplug attenuation did reduce over time but still remained safe, however the...

Earplugs fit for purpose

The aim of occupational audiology is to prevent hearing loss caused by occupational sound exposure which can exacerbate the long-term effects of central presbyacusis as employees age. To provide the best noise protection over time, research suggests that best practice...

Sound levels in our daily public places

Hearing conservation and noise safety are significant public health issues globally. Drinkwater’s article describes a wide variety of initiatives which contribute to healthier sound levels in public spaces and daily environments. One of particular interest is hearing assistive technology (HAT)...

A novel scale for the assessment of tracheoesophageal voice quality – the SToPS

There is currently no assessment tool in widespread use that permits a valid and reliable perceptual assessment of voice quality following laryngectomy. Such a scale is needed to investigate the functional outcomes of surgical voice restoration and rehabilitation regimes. Existing...

How can we manage children with poor speech discrimination but with normal audiogram

We often come across children and young adults brought in for consultation for suspected hearing loss and having hearing difficulty in noisy backgrounds but who often have normal audiograms. Such patients are suspected to have auditory neuropathy. The term auditory...