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J Am Acad Audiol 1999; 10(08): 411-421
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1748514
Original Article

Consonant Enhancement Effects on Speech Recognition of Hearing-Impaired Children

Lynn Z. Smith
Department of Language and Communication Sciences, The College of New Jersey, New Jersey
,
Harry Levitt
The Center for Research in Speech and Hearing Sciences, The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York, New York
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Abstract

Differences in gain (enhancement, in dB) required to optimize the consonant/vowel intensity ratio in nonsense syllables were determined for stops and fricatives, both voiced and voiceless, in 12 children with congenital moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss. The test stimuli were vowel/consonant nonsense syllables with various levels of enhancement ranging from 0 dB (for the unprocessed stimulus) to 24 dB of gain, in steps of 3 or 6 dB. Results showed that significant improvements in consonant recognition can be obtained with individualized adjustment of consonant amplitude for children as young as 5 years of age.

Abbreviations: CE = consonant enhacement, CVR = consonant/vowel intensity ratio, NST = Nonsense Syllable Test

Key Words

Children - hearing impaired - speech perception


Publication History

Article published online:
03 May 2022

© 1999. American Academy of Audiology. This article is published by Thieme.

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