The Neural Processing of Speech Sounds in Hearing Impaired Children

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Research has shown that cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) can be used to objectively verify neural processing of speech sounds and to show that hearing aids provide speech detection in very young infants who cannot be tested using behavioural or observational methods. It is not possible to determine by simple observation whether a young infant who is deaf or hearing impaired is successfully processing speech sounds and hence an objective method to determine both detection and discrimination is required. The aim of the study is to determine whether changes in spectral and temporal characteristics of speech sounds, as measured using a probe microphone at the eardrum, are reflected in the CAEP characteristics measured from scalp surface electrodes. If CAEPs are sensitive to speech changes, this technique can be used as an objective indicator of speech discrimination. This technique has potential for early detection of auditory processing disorder, as well as hearing aid evaluation in young infants found to have a hearing loss as a result of newborn hearing screening.

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