MESHGuides

Stuart Whyte has authored detailed content about test box measures in Audiology Refreshers Section 6.6.  “There are UK quality standards and practical guidance on electroacoustic measures for HAs, BCHDs, and auditory implant sound processors – most commonly CIs.

There are a variety of assistive listening device systems available.  It is a good idea to discuss the choice with your QToD or Educational Audiologist as there are a number of considerations.

The hearing aids, bone conduction hearing devices, speech processors and assistive listening devices should be checked at regularly, ie at least daily if the child is not yet able to report faults with the system, and at a frequency that is agreed with the young person/parent who have established checking routines. This will ensure that they have the best possible signal to hear the speaker's voice.

There is a range of ALDs available, and a personal radio aid or propriety microphone device might be recommended in educational and/or home settings.

They have the potential to greatly enhance deaf CYP’s listening experiences by making speech more audible in situations where distance, background noise and reverberation make listening difficult.  The radio aid works by making the sound/speech the CYP needs to hear, such as the teacher’s voice, clearer in relation to unwanted background noise and helps to overcome the problems of hearing speech at a distance.

Articles on assistive listening devices have featured in BATOD Magazines. The Magazines are for BATOD members only. Contact BATOD via exec@batod.org.uk for further information.

This column gives the more technical side of setting up the system to ensure that it works optimally and gives the desired signal advantage.  There are links to videos and instructions on how to set up devices with various hearing devices.

This column gives information about different systems and how to manage them.

This column is intended for parents and professionals.  It explains how to ensure that you and the deaf CYP get maximum benefit from their assistive listening device.  It is recommended that you seek training from a qualified professional ie Educational Audiologist, Qualified Teacher of Deaf Children and Young People, prior to use.

This column provides information on what radio aids are and how they can be used to support children’s learning.  The criteria for issuing such a system is discussed and suggestions on good practice are given.  This includes provision for babies and preschool children.

This column also looks at the listening environment for children and young people (CYP) and how radio aid systems can be used to support CYP in such environments that might otherwise be detrimental to their listening and to their learning.

In this column we list recent research and references on the benefits and uses of radio aids.  There is also a section on UK-based Masters research, historic small-scale case studies, showing how individuals have benefited from this technology.

Educational Audiology Association (EAA) publications
Journal of Educational, Pediatric & (Re)Habilitative Audiology (JEPRA), previously named Journal of Educational Audiology, has a range of open-access journal publications.