An operate conditional technique was used to determine the relative success of toys and video shows as reinforcers for testing the hearing of 28 younger (30-month-old) and 28 older (45-month old) children. Animated toys and video shows for children were equally effective as reinforcers for both age groups. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

The ability of the sensitivity prediction from acoustic reflex (SPAR) technique to estimate hearing loss in 32 trainable mentally retarded Ss (adults and young adults with normal to profound hearing loss) was investigated by comparing measured pure-tone thresholds determined through tangible-reinforcement operant-conditioning audiometry with…

This paper outlines hearing loss in children in terms of type, etiology, socioeducational effect, and methods of differentiation of these types from the perspective of the school nurse teacher. The source of information, when not otherwise noted, is data obtained on 2,386 school-age children seen by the author on the Ithaca College Mobile…

Data were collected on sound levels in public school shops, the policies regarding hearing protection and sound level monitoring in shops in a four state area, and hearing levels of students with varying histories of noise exposure. Sound levels in most school shops are sufficient to constitute a hazard to hearing. (Author)

Examples of 26 toys and games that can be used as rewards for language lessons and audiological evaluation of hearing-impaired children are listed. The materials are explained to provide reinforcement for the child's speech production. Materials are briefly described and names of their publishers given. (CL)

Reports on a study that examined noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) among school band directors. Finds that 41 percent of band directors in the sample had characteristic NIHL curves indicating that their experience as band directors played a role in the hearing loss. Recommends further study into the causes of NIHL among school band directors. (LS)

This study examined the use of air-puff conditioning audiometry in the hearing assessment of 12 multiply handicapped (including severe/profound mental retardation) subjects, ages 9-32. Ten subjects reached criterion conditioning and then completed the hearing assessment with the air-puff procedure while one reached criterion with a modified…

The purpose of this investigation was to document performance of participants wearing a cochlear implant and hearing aid in opposite ears on speech-perception and localization tests. Twelve individuals who wore a cochlear implant and a hearing aid on contralateral ears were tested on their abilities to understand words in quiet and sentences in…

Noise is the single most omnipresent noxious contaminant in the American environment, yet little attention has been paid to its dangers and relatively small amounts of money spent to control it. Compares the effects and management of hearing impairment due to noise with those resulting from other causes. (Editor)

The relationship between word and stress pattern recognition ability and hearing level was explored by administering the Children's Auditory Test to hearing-impaired young adults (N=27). For word recognition, subjects with average hearing loss between 85 and 100 decibels demonstrated a wide range of performance not predictable from their…

Auditory dysfunction accompanying noise-induced hearing loss was examined with 16 male Ss (18 29-years-old) who had 12 24-month histories of noise exposure and high-frequency hearing loss. (IM)

The feasibility of using a community based high risk register to identify infants with hearing loss was evaluated. For all newborns at the hospital, information obtained from the hospital chart and from the mother Informed parents and physicians about children considered to be at risk for hearing loss. Testing was scheduled for 6 months from the…

A study investigated whether two speech measures (peak intraoral air pressure (IOP) and IOP duration) obtained during production of intervocalic stops would be altered by the presence or absence of a cochlear implant in five children (ages 7-10). The auditory condition affected peak IOP more than IOP duration. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)