OUTCOMES PROJECT UPDATEDecember 2013 Issue 15

Part 1: Cochlear ImplantsWhat is a cochlear implant?A cochlear implant is a hearing device designed to bypass the damaged parts of the inner ear by electrically stimulating the hearing nerve. The nerve then sends a signal to the brain where it is interpreted as sound.

What do they look like?A cochlear implant system has both internal and external parts.

How do they work? Who are they for?

Cochlear implants provide an important option for children and adults with signi�cant hearing loss who gain little or no bene�t from hearing aids. Adults typically have moderate to profound hearing loss in the low frequencies and profound (≥90 dB HL) hearing loss in the mid to high speech frequencies. Limited bene�t from ampli�cation is de�ned by test scores of 50% correct or less in the ear to be implanted (60% or less in the best-aided listening condition) on tape-recorded tests of open set sentence recognition. The cochlear implant system is intended for use in children 12 to 24 months of age with bilateral severe or profound sensorineural deafness who demonstrate limited bene�t from appropriate binaural hearing aids.

For further information on cochlear implant candidacy criteria please consult your local cochlear implant clinic. If you are not sure which is your local clinic you can �nd a clinic at: http://www.cochlear.com/wps/wcm/connect/intl/home/connect/�nd-a-clinic.

In the next edition of LOCHI newsletter see Part 2 “ Programming a Cochlear Implant” What happens behind the audiologist’s desk.

Internal partThe internal cochlear implant consists of a receiver and magnet, placed under the skin behind the ear and an electrode array (made up of a series of 22 electrodes), placed into the cochlea in the inner ear by a surgeon.

External part The external sound processor is worn behind the ear and looks similar to a hearing aid. A cable and small coil is connected to the sound processor and is held on the head by a magnet. It is powered by batteries.

In August, a couple of events were held to raise funds for the LOCHI project. Here are some photos from the LOCHI events held.

LOCHI’s Stats

456 participants!

230 NSW97 QLD 129 VIC

285 hearing aid users 64 unilateral implant users 107 bilateral implant users

1. Microphones on the sound processor pick up sounds and the processor converts them into digital information.

2. This information is transferred through the coil to the implant just under the skin.

3. The implant sends electrical signals down the electrode into the cochlea.

4. The hearing nerve �bers in the cochlea pick up the signals and send them to the brain, giving the sensation of sound.

Our records show that 171 LOCHI children have cochlear implants. In this newsletter and the next one, we will talk about cochlear implants

Source: CochlearTM

SPEECH, LANGUAGE AND LISTENING

Road Trip Language GamesThe end of year holiday is a time when many families head o� on a driving holiday, or road-trip. Put the iPads away and keep the kids from asking “Are we there yet” by trying some of these road-trip language games.

1. 20 QuestionsHow to Play: One person thinks of a person, place, or thing. Others in the car can ask up to 20 yes/no questions in order to try and guess what the mystery word is. Whoever guesses the mystery word �rst gets to think of the next word. Encourage the kids to ask broad ‘category’ questions �rst (e.g. Is it a fruit? is better to ask �rst than Is it an orange?)

Language Skills: Reasoning Skills, Formulating Questions, Categorisation.

2. Numberplate GameHow to Play: If you are stuck in tra�c, try to think of a funny phrase to match the letters of number plates on cars around you (e.g. DHN-123 = Dad’s Hairy Nose)Language Skills: Phonemic Awareness, Vocabulary

3. Going on A Holiday..How to Play: One person starts the game by saying “I’m going on a holiday and I’m going to bring a….(names item).” The next person has to say something that starts with the same letter (e.g. “I’m going on a holiday and I’m going to bring a teddy” “I’m going on a holiday and I’m going to bring a toothbrush”)

This game can also be played using attributes (e.g. “I’m going on a holiday and I’m going to bring a kite because it can �y” The next person has to say something that can �y; “I’m going on a holiday and I’m going to bring a parrot because it can �y”)

Language Skills: Phonemic Awareness, Vocabulary, Categorisation

4. Story GameHow to Play: The �rst person says the �rst sentence of a story (e.g. “Once upon a time there was a brave knight who lived in a forest”). The next person adds the next sentence to the story. Keep taking turns until the story ends in a logical way.Language Skills: Narrative Structure, Sentence Structure and Grammar, Creativity.

5. Alphabet GameHow to Play: Someone starts the game by choosing a category (e.g. food) and saying something from that category that starts with the letter A (e.g. Artichoke). The next person has to think of something that �ts in the category that starts with the letter B (e.g. Burger)

Language Skills: Phonemic Awareness, Vocabulary, Categorisation

yes/No?

Pogo Stick~!

TEST PROFILE

Find us on Facebook!Facebook can be a great way for parents to share their thoughts and experiences of raising a child with hearing impairment! We invite you to join our Facebook page and start connecting with other parents!

Step 1:

Step 2:

type “LOCHI” in the search bar

Then click on “Pages”

Keep scrolling down until you find us!

LIKE US and start posting!

The Paediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) is a questionnaire designed to measure health related quality of life in children and adolescents. The PedsQL is used across the world for both clinical and research purposes and is available in several di�erent languages.

The questionnaire involves 23 questions which assess four main areas including physical functioning, emotional functioning, social functioning and school functioning. The questionnaire takes approximately �ve minutes to complete.

As part of the LOCHI study, we include the PedsQL in our parent information booklet (PIB) and ask parents to report on their child’s functioning using a �ve point rating scale for each item. For example, a question may be ‘getting along with other children’ and it is rated based on a parent’s perception of how well their child copes in each situation (0 –never, 1 – almost never, 2 – sometimes, 3 – often, 4 – almost always).

Now that our LOCHI children are getting older, we have incorporated a child self-report version of the PedsQL which is completed by our speech pathologists at each child’s 9 year language assessment. This version assesses the same areas of functioning using a �ve point rating scale, however the questions are phrased di�erently, and the speech pathologist goes through each question with the child. For example, the question may be phrased ‘I have trouble getting along with other kids’ and it is rated based on how frequently a child feels this occurs (0 –never, 1 – almost never, 2 – sometimes, 3 – often, 4 – almost always).

Completing the PedsQL with LOCHI parents and their children provides us with important information which will help us to learn more about the impact of hearing impairment on a child’s social and emotional development.

TIPS FROM THE AUDIOLOGIST

New South Wales (02) 9412 6800Dr. Teresa Ching (Project Leader)

Vivienne Marnane (Speech Pathologist/Reseach Coordinator)Miriam Gunnourie (Speech Pathologist)Jessica Thomson (Speech Pathologist)

Sanna Hou (Audiologist)Dr. Vicky Zhang (Audiologist)Angela Wong (Audiologist)

Jessica Sjahalam-King (Research Assistant)

Victoria (03) 8325 9014Trish van Buynder (Audiology Coordinator)Julia Day (Speech Pathology Coordinator)

Laura Street (Speech Pathologist)Lauren Burns (Audiologist)

Queensland (07) 3237 6841Chris Flynn (Audiologist)

Karen McGhie (Audiologist)Louise Martin (Speech Pathologist)

Have you moved? Let us know your new details by calling us on (02) 9412 6947 or

by emailling us: outcomes@nal.gov.au

The team at LOCHI wishes you:

明けましておめでとうございます

Cristmas-e-shoma mobarak bashad

iniya puthandu nal Vazhthukkal

Teth Loac Tee Kon Rey Ru-N A Neme

Selamat hari natal

Eid Millad Saed

Happy Chanucah

felices fiestas

Happy Holidays

聖誕節快樂

Open �ttings

There has been a recent trend in people wearing hearing aids with less occluding moulds known as open �ttings. The biggest di�erence with these �ttings is the small tube and tip that goes inside the ear. The tube is very thin and transparent. It connects to a tip that sits in the ear canal and allows low frequency sounds to pass through, giving the wearer a more natural sound quality to their own voice. It is comfortable and keeps the ear ventilated.

Open �ttings are suitable for people with a mild to moderate hearing loss with a minimal loss in the low frequencies. People with a more severe hearing loss often cannot use an open �t because they need high gain. Since an open �tting is not sealed, feedback or whistling occurs. Also, people with �ne motor problems may have di�culty with this type of �tting due to its small size. Small children may have di�culty keeping the hearing aids in their ears.

What is an Open Fit Hearing Aid?

Sounds great! So why are not all children with hearing loss wearing them?