Speech Perception Ability and Spatial Release from Masking in Children with Single-Sided Deafness Aided with Bone Conduction Devices

Abstract Objectives: To investigate the hearing outcomes of speech perception ability and spatial release from masking (SRM) in paediatric single-sided deafness (SSD) patients aided with a non-invasive bone conduction hearing aid (BCD). Design: Speech perception tests were performed using the Chinese Mandarin Speech Test Materials. Setting: The experiment was conducted in a sound-attenuated audiometric booth. Participants: Seven school-aged children with SSD and a group of seven age-related normal hearing (NH) children as a comparison group were included. Main outcome measures: Speech perception in quiet was measured using the speech discrimination score (SDS, in %). Speech perception in noise was tested with the speech reception threshold (SRT, in dB signal-to-noise ratio [SNR]). SRM was calculated as the difference in SRT between when the masking of SSN was Co-located and when it was spatially separated from the target speech signals. Results: The results confirmed that children with normal bilateral hearing experienced greater speech perception ability and SRM than those with SSD. BCDs remarkably improved speech perception ability in quiet and noise for those with SSD, but there was no statistical improvement of SRM after short-term use. For NH school-aged children, SRM continued to change with age. Conclusion: The outcomes demonstrated substantial benefits in speech perception ability for SSD patients aided with BCDs. Further studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to explore whether SRM can be improved by hearing adaptation.