19th ANNUAL EARLY HEARING DETECTION & INTERVENTION MEETING
March 8-10, 2020 • Kansas City, MO
Analysis of the Common Sounds Audiogram: Recommendations for Revision
A counseling tool routinely used by pediatric audiologists and early intervention-specialists is the often-named ‘common sounds audiogram’ (CSA). Visually, a CSA is similar to the graph-like appearance of an audiogram, but with overlaid shapes and symbols corresponding to the sound levels and frequencies of speech and environmental sounds. Many different CSAs are available from professional societies, early intervention providers, device manufacturers, and elsewhere. Typically, a child’s hearing detection thresholds are plotted on the CSA to indicate that child’s audibility of speech and environmental sounds. Importantly, the CSA may be the first thing that parents see when their child’s hearing loss is explained. The initial counseling session and parents’ understanding of their child’s hearing loss are an integral part of a child’s future hearing care and interventions. Yet, due to a lack of consistency amongst CSAs, parents’ understanding of what their child can hear may be very different depending on which CSA the audiologist used.
The primary aims of this study are to collect existing CSAs, analyze them, and provide recommendations for a new CSA-like counseling tool. Thirty-six existing CSAs were included in analysis of: quantification (intensity and frequency of speech and environmental sounds), presence of counseling information (assumed distance from sound source, assumed vocal effort of talker, distinction between detection and discrimination, and dB SPL versus dB HL), attribution of acoustic measurements, and errors. Analyses revealed these CSAs are inconsistent as a group, not scientifically-justified, and do not include important information for counseling and interpretation. Such variations can lead to very different parental interpretations of the impact of a child’s hearing loss related to audibility. Such variations, presumably, could also lead to different recommendations regarding intervention and hearing devices. Recommendations are outlined for the development of a new CSA.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the pitfalls of currently-available counseling tools called ‘common sounds audiograms.’
- Demonstrate knowledge of how the speech spectral region, as depicted on an audiogram, shifts vertically with changes in distance between the talker and listener.
- Demonstrate knowledge of why individual speech sounds placed at single locations on a ‘common sounds audiogram’ is an oversimplification of speech acoustics.
Poster:
21060_12659CoryHillis.pdf
Presenter: Cory Hillis
Cory Hillis is a fourth year Doctor of Audiology student in the Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exist.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exist.
Lisa S. Davidson, PhD is an Associate Professor of Audiology and Communication Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Rosalie M. Uchanski, PhD is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology and Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences at Washington University In St. Louis School of Medicine.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -