Week 5
On Tuesday, we had some DPS scheduling problems, but I did get to see one DPS client. The client didn't have any specific time constraints, so I was able to run a more complete test battery. Otoscopy, tympanometry, acoustic reflexes, and AC audiometry were all normal, and all of his results were consistent with previous years' findings. Seeing this client helped me gain some more experience and greater comfort delivering services. During clinic, I also saw a child for a kindergarten re-screening. Otoscopy revealed a PE tube moving out of one of the child's ears, tympanometry was normal, and pure tones were heard at 20 dB HL.
Thursday, in clinic, I saw my first pediatric client (other than kindergarten screenings)! The client was 6 years old and had been seen previously in the speech clinic. The client had normal otoscopy, tympanometry, pure tone AC thresholds, SRTs, and WR scores. Thresholds were obtained with an "adult" mode of response. Although there was nothing particularly outstanding about the case, the client made the process very valuable. Trying to move as fast as possible, remembering to use lots of reinforcement, choosing the most necessary tasks and tests first, and projecting a positive attitude were absolutely essential to keep the client on task. While I was seeing this particular client, the A/C was also off, so the need to be speedy and effective was magnified even more. Overall, it was a great experience!
Below, I included a link to the article Listening Effort and Fatigue in School-Age Children with and without Hearing Loss by Hicks & Tharpe, which evaluated differences in listening fatigue and effort between children with and without hearing loss. I included this study in my blog because, during testing with my pediatric client, I worried that he would become tired during the testing process. This study was significant because, according to the authors, it was one of the first studies that investigated listener fatigue in children. The study found that listener fatigue was no greater in children with hearing loss, as was speculated. However, listener effort was greater in children with hearing loss, which has implications on multitasking during audiological testing and during activities in a school setting.
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=boh&AN=BACD200300101751&site=ehost-live
posted by KaraMar10 @ 9:23 PM
4 Comments:
Kara,
I am so glad to hear that your first pediatric client went so well! Your article is also very interesting, I was really surprised that the listener fatigue was not any different for children...maybe we don't get them enough credit sometimes! Very intersting!
I think we should do a study on attention/performance and the temperature of the setting. Although the article you gave says otherwise, I think the physical plant guys are less attentive than the children I've seen. Maybe they are the only population to defy the results?? Good job with your first child! I'm sure you pulled out your first grade teacher voice for that one :)
Katie, there is potential for a scholarly work there. A chart would have to be made to document time of day, temperature, and whatever else you wanted to look at. And you'd have to clearly define your dependent variable, since attention and reliability can be subjective. But it would just take a bit of thinking.
Diana, I was also surprised to find that listener fatigue did not have a greater impact on test results. That seems to be contrary to typical child behavior (or young adult behavior for that matter)! I know that when I'm tired I feel as though I don't perform as well. Maybe a repeat study would find different results???
Katie, I think you're on to something ... temperature does seem like something that affects performance. When I was sweating in the test booth with the door closed the day the A/C went out, I'm sure I wasn't at my best, and I'm sure clients aren't either when it's super hot in the sound booth. I'll leave that scholarly work up to you! ;-)
Mrs. Neldon, thanks for mentioning time of day. I haven't run across any studies that consider time of day in relation to attention/performance. That would be interesting to examine in relation to some of the other factors that Katie mentioned.
P.S.
Thanks for the encouragement gals, and I definitely used my "first grade teacher voice."
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