Maggi E Soer

Current research emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the speech-language pathologist and audiologist and the preprimary teacher in the context of a team, while working with the learner with special educational needs in the preprimary programme. The aim of this study was to determine whether any model of team-work (inter-, trans- or multidisciplinary) in a specific preprimary programme for children with communication disorders can lead to improved goal settings and language intervention. An empirical study was used to evaluate the different team models. A descriptive survey was employed as research design and four preprimary teachers were involved. These teachers and speech-language therapist experienced the three team models in the planning of language activities, which formed part of the regular daily programme. Three video recordings oflanguage activities were made per teacher, giving a total of twelve recordings. These recordings were then evaluated. The results in...

Ménière’s disease is the third most common inner ear disorder. The individual course of Ménière’s disease in different patients makes it difficult to diagnose on the basis of symptomatology alone. The impact of Ménière’s disease on quality of life has highlighted the importance of an additional tool to support the diagnosis of Ménière’s disease. Apart from the patient’s history, audiological data provide the most relevant information for confirming the diagnosis. The aim of this study was to analyse and describe the clinical and audiological features of a cohort of subjects diagnosed with Ménière’s disease, in order to develop understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and to facilitate the diagnostic process. The research is based on a retrospective study of the medical records of 135 subjects with Ménière’s disease which were selected according to a non-probability sample. Descriptive statistics were used to organize, analyse and interpret the data. Sixty one percent of s...

Development of the <i>Feather Squadron</i> (FS) has created a cost-effective, accessible form of assessment through tele-audiology. As accessibility to reliable, cost-effective assessment of auditory processing (AP) skills is limited in South Africa (SA), this study aims to establish whether there is correlation between the FS and traditional tests of AP viz. Frequency Pattern and Dichotic Digits Test, and to establish its relevance to the SA population. Retrospective, within-subject, comparative design used to compare performance on the FS and the traditional tests. Data were considered in two ways: Firstly, using the traditional −2SD cut-off on some subtests of the FS compared to the same traditional tests, and secondly, by comparing the Z-scores obtained on the FS compared to Z-scores on the same traditional tests obtained by applying a double arcsine transformation. Sixty-six subjects (35 males, 31 females) aged between 8.08 and 9.75 years (mean = 8.73; <i>SD&l...

OBJECTIVE Development of the Feather Squadron (FS) has created a cost-effective, accessible form of assessment through tele-audiology. As accessibility to reliable, cost-effective assessment of auditory processing (AP) skills is limited in South Africa (SA), this study aims to establish whether there is correlation between the FS and traditional tests of AP viz. Frequency Pattern and Dichotic Digits Test, and to establish its relevance to the SA population. DESIGN Retrospective, within-subject, comparative design used to compare performance on the FS and the traditional tests. Data were considered in two ways: Firstly, using the traditional -2SD cut-off on some subtests of the FS compared to the same traditional tests, and secondly, by comparing the Z-scores obtained on the FS compared to Z-scores on the same traditional tests obtained by applying a double arcsine transformation. STUDY SAMPLE Sixty-six subjects (35 males, 31 females) aged between 8.08 and 9.75 years (mean = 8.73; SD...

OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of language experience on selective auditory attention and speech-in-noise perception in English Second Language (ESL) learners aged seven to eight years. METHOD A quantitative, descriptive, comparative cross-sectional research design was used to determine the effect of age of exposure to English on the selective auditory attention abilities and speech-in-noise perception skills of 40 children with normal hearing in first or second grade (aged seven to eight years). The control group comprised of 20 English first language (EFL) learners (mean age = 7.35 years ±0.49) and the research group included 20 s language learners (mean age = 7.70 years ±0.47). In order to compare the control and research groups with respect to the age of exposure to English through various sources, the Mann Whitney test was used. Information regarding the age of exposure was gathered by a case history questionnaire, completed by the parents/guardians of the participants. The Selective Auditory Attention Test (SAAT) and Digits-in-Noise (DIN) test were performed in one sitting. RESULTS No statistically significant differences between the EFL and ESL groups were found for the SAAT and DIN. However, a statistically significant difference was obtained between the SAAT lists 1 and 3 & the DIN: diotic listening condition for the ESL group only (rs = -0.623; p = 0.003). The difference between the EFL and ESL groups in the mean age of exposure to English was statistically significant (p = 0,019), with mean age of exposure to English in the ESL group (mean age = 2.82 ± 0.53) being higher than the mean age of exposure in the EFL group (mean age = 1.81 ± 1.53). However, this difference did not influence the results of the SAAT and DIN significantly. CONCLUSION The main finding was that selective auditory attention and speech-in-noise perception were not significantly affected in the ESL learners who participated in the study - learners who were recruited from private schools located in an urban area and thus from higher socio-economic status (SES) households. There is a need for additional research with a larger sample size to determine the selective auditory attention abilities and speech-in-noise perception skills of ESL learners in government-funded schools located in rural areas and from various socio-economic backgrounds.

Background: Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) are a promising screening technique for the early detection of subtle noise-induced cochlear function changes. Objectives: To determine the applicability of DPOAEs as a health surveillance technique for the early detection of noiseinduced hearing loss (NIHL) in workers at a steel manufacturing industry. Methods: DPOAE measurements were recorded in 20 participants with no history of occupational noise exposure and 20 participants exposed to noise in the steel manufacturing industry. Participants were not exposed to noise for at least 48 hours prior to testing. All participants were male, with normal audiometric thresholds of ≤15 dB HL. The DPOAE presence and response levels for different frequencies were compared between the two groups. The study further evaluated the shortterm test-retest repeatability of DPOAE measurements. Results: The noise-exposed group had significantly lower DPOAE response amplitudes than the contro...

Aim The aim of this study was to apply fMRI to comparatively evaluate any activation in the central auditory nervous system (CANS) to nonsense syllables sound in normal hearing adults with and without HIV/AIDS. Objective To determine the response of the central auditory nervous system (CANS) to nonsense syllables sound in normal hearing adults with and without HIV/AIDS, using fMRI. Method A between-group comparative design was used to determine and compare the response of the CANS to nonsense syllables stimuli of a sample of 15 normal hearing participants without HIV/AIDS and 12 normal hearing participants with HIV/AIDS. Structural and fMRI images were acquired during a listening task where nonsense syllables were presented binaurally using earphones. Stimuli were presented with a block design with two conditions: silence (baseline) of twenty seconds, and the stimuli task tone of twenty seconds. Each block was repeated four times. The blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) technique wa...

The objective of the study was to investigate the relationship between the audiogram configuration and its calculated Percentage Loss of Hearing (PLH), and the experience of hearing handicap in noise-exposed gold miners. The experience of hearing handicap by gold miners with different audiogram configurations of NIHL was measured using the translated Hearing Handicap Inventory. Audiograms and measures of hearing handicap were associated with the PLH calculated from the tables specified by the South African compensation legislation. Results indicate that NIHL audiograms can be categorised into five different patterns based on the configuration. All participants, no matter what the audiogram configurations and degree of hearing loss as measured by the PLH, experienced significant handicap as a result of their hearing loss, including the group where most of the audiogram thresholds were within normal limits. The study highlights the need for awareness of appropriate rehabilitation and ...

This study aimed to determine the ability of a specific group of adolescents with hearing loss to access and use academic information in order to establish the kind of support that might be required for adolescents with hearing loss. Adolescents with hearing loss who have a language delay because of this loss experience problems with access to formal as well as informal academic material. Children with severe hearing loss need special education and the teacher should receive in-service training. This is necessary because children with this degree of hearing loss have a serious language delay, and need special help in all language skills, language-based academic subjects, vocabulary, grammar, pragmatism, reading and writing (HMIE 2007:16). They also have a lack of prior knowledge to assist them in all their language skills (HMIE 2007:26). The participants of this study were adolescents with hearing loss, and teachers and media teachers at special schools that cater for adolescents wi...

Pure tone audiometry indicates what hearing thresholds (dB) are required to just be able to perceive a tone at different frequencies (Hz). A pure tone audiology threshold at a specific frequency is the decibel level at which a sound is perceived 50% of the time. The decibel scale used in pure tone audiometry is dB Hearing Level (dB HL). The dB HL intensity scale is based on normal human hearing with 0 dB HL representing the median threshold for otologically normal young adults.

In hierdie studie is die invloed van veroudering op die spraakdiskriminasievermoe van bejaarde gehoorapparaatgebruikers ondersoek. 'n Opname-metode is gebruik en dertig proefpersone, met dieselfde graad van perifere gehoorafname, is in twee groepe van vyftien persone elk verdeel. Groep 1 het bestaan uit bejaarde gehoorapparaatgebruikers wat geen of geringe spraakdiskriminasieprobleme ervaar, terwyl Groep 2 ernstige spraakdiskriminasieprobleme ervaar. 'n Verskeidenheid toetse, naamlik die Sintetiese Sinsidentifikasietoets, die Verspringende Spondeewoordtoets en die aanbieding van monosillabiese woorde tesame met 'n ipsi-kompeterende spraakboodskap, is gebruik om hul spraakdiskriminasievermoe in verskillende luistersituasies te bepaal. 'n Selfevaluasieskaal is ook deur die bejaardes voltooi.Die resultate van hierdie studie toon dat die verouderingsproses en die effek hiervan op veral sentrale ouditiewe prosessering, bydra tot die kompleksiteit en uiteenlopendheid van b...

OBJECTIVES:: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis on the validity (test-retest reliability and accuracy) of automated threshold audiometry compared with the gold standard of manual threshold audiometry was conducted. DESIGN:: A systematic literature review was completed in peer-reviewed databases on automated compared with manual threshold audiometry. Subsequently a meta-analysis was conducted on the validity of automated audiometry. A multifaceted approach, covering several databases and using different search strategies was used to ensure comprehensive coverage and to cross-check search findings. Databases included: MEDLINE, SCOPUS, and PubMed with a secondary search strategy reviewing references from identified reports. Reports including within-subject comparisons of manual and automated threshold audiometry were selected according to inclusion/exclusion criteria before data were extracted. For the meta-analysis weighted mean differences (and standard deviations) on test-retest reliability for automated compared with manual audiometry were determined to assess the validity of automated threshold audiometry. RESULTS:: In total, 29 reports on automated audiometry (method of limits and the method of adjustment techniques) met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. Most reports included data on adult populations using air conduction testing with limited data on children, bone conduction testing, and the effects of hearing status on automated audiometry. Meta-analysis test-retest reliability for automated audiometry was within typical test-retest variability for manual audiometry. Accuracy results on the meta-analysis indicated overall average differences between manual and automated air conduction audiometry (0.4 dB; 6.1 SD) to be comparable with test-retest differences for manual (1.3 dB; 6.1 SD) and automated (0.3 dB; 6.9 SD) audiometry. Nosignificant differences (p > 0.01; summarized data analysis of variance) were seen in any of the comparisons between test-retest reliability of manual and automated audiometry compared with differences between manual and automated audiometry. CONCLUSIONS:: Automated audiometry provides an accurate measure of hearing threshold, but validation data are still limited for (a) automated bone conduction audiometry; (b) automated audiometry in children and difficult-to-test populations; and (c) different types and degrees of hearing loss.

In future, the South African Department of Health aims to purchase services from accredited private service providers. Successful private audiology practices can assist to address issues of access, equity and quality of health services. It is not sufficient to be an excellent clinician, since audiology practices are businesses that must also be managed effectively. The objective was to determine the existing and required levels of practice management knowledge as perceived by South African audiologists. An electronic descriptive survey was used to investigate audiology practice management amongst South African audiologists. A total of 147 respondents completed the survey. Results were analysed by calculating descriptive statistics. The Z-proportional test was used to identify significant differences between existing and required levels of practice management knowledge. Significant differences were found between existing and required levels of knowledge regarding all eight practice management tasks, particularly legal and ethical issues and marketing and accounting. There were small differences in the knowledge required for practice management tasks amongst respondents working in public and private settings. Irrespective of their work context, respondents showed that they need significant expansion of practice management knowledge in order to be successful, to compete effectively and to make sense of a complex marketplace.

Normal and impaired pure tone thresholds (PTTs) were predicted from distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) using a feed-forward artificial neural network (ANN) with a back-propagation training algorithm. The ANN used a map of present and absent DPOAEs from eight DPgrams, (2f1-f2 = 406-4031 Hz) to predict PTTs at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz. With normal hearing as < 25 dB HL, prediction accuracy of normal hearing was 94% at 500, 88% at 1000, 88% at 2000 and 93% at 4000 Hz. Prediction of hearing-impaired categories was less accurate, due to insufficient data for the ANN to train on. This research indicates the possibility of accurately predicting hearing ability within 10 dB in normal hearing individuals and in hearing-impaired listeners with DPOAEs and ANNs from 500-4000 Hz.

Normal and impaired pure tone thresholds (PTTs) were predicted from distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) using a feed-forward artificial neural network (ANN) with a back-propagation training algorithm. The ANN used a map of present and absent DPOAEs from eight DPgrams, (2f1-f2 = 406-4031 Hz) to predict PTTs at 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 kHz. With normal hearing as < 25 dB HL, prediction accuracy of normal hearing was 94% at 500, 88% at 1000, 88% at 2000 and 93% at 4000 Hz. Prediction of hearing-impaired categories was less accurate, due to insufficient data for the ANN to train on. This research indicates the possibility of accurately predicting hearing ability within 10 dB in normal hearing individuals and in hearing-impaired listeners with DPOAEs and ANNs from 500-4000 Hz.

This study researches the occurrence of communicative acts of preschool Afrikaans-speaking hearing-impaired children. The relevance of communication and the incidence of verbal versus non-verbal communication behaviour was also measured. To this end communication samples (30 minutes each) were made of ten three-to-five year old severely hearing-impaired Afrikaans-speaking children in interaction with a familiar adult. The main conclusions of this study were: the subjects as a group are able to express a variety of communication acts appropriately, making use of both verbal and non-verbal behaviour. However, non-verbal behaviour predominates in the communicative behaviour of the group. Some of their verbal utterances are produced without voice.