Bone Conduction Testing for Newborn Hearing Screening

描述（由申请人提供）：本研究旨在开发一种改进的新生儿听力筛查设备，该设备将结合同时进行空气和骨传导测试的新测试程序，以便更好和一致地检测轻度听力损失（< 35 dB nHL）。该装置将通过低水平刺激和骨传导刺激来区分感音神经和传导成分，从而解决当前对更敏感的听力筛查工具的需求。智能听力系统先前开发了一种刺激强度斜坡技术，用于快速确定频率特定的AEP听力阈值。该技术将扩展并与骨传导测试结合使用各种方法，包括：A)交织空气-骨刺激，B)双速率空气-骨刺激和C)重叠空气-骨强度增强刺激。新一代高保真骨传导立体声耳机将用于传递刺激。在第一阶段，IHS听力筛查设备的当前软件和硬件将被修改，以适应拟议的双耳同时空气和骨传导测试范例。将进行实验，以确定这些测试范式组合的可行性，并确定其有效性和效率。数据将从10名听力正常的年轻成年人和15名新生儿中收集。将对新生儿进行测试，以确定拟议的技术对目标人群的可行性。二期将对新生儿进行全面的临床研究。这种新方法将有助于更好地管理听力损失病例，并实施更有效的重新筛查政策。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This study aims to develop an improved neonatal hearing screening device that will incorporate novel testing procedures combining simultaneous air and bone conduction testing so that mild hearing losses (< 35 dB nHL) are better and consistently detected. The proposed device will address the current need for a more sensitive hearing screening tool by stimulating at lower levels and providing bone conduction stimulation in order to differentiate between sensorineural and conductive components. Intelligent Hearing Systems has previously developed a Stimulus Intensity-Ramping Technique for quickly determining frequency specific AEP hearing thresholds. This technique will be expanded and combined with bone conduction testing using various approaches, including: A) Interweaving Air-Bone stimulation, B) Dual-Rate Air-Bone stimulation and C) Overlapping Air-Bone Intensity-Ramping Stimulation. A new generation of high fidelity bone-conduction stereo headphones will be used to deliver stimuli. During Phase I, the current software and hardware of the IHS hearing screening device will be modified to accommodate the proposed dual-ear simultaneous air and bone conduction testing paradigm. Experiments will be conducted to determine the feasibility of combining these testing paradigms and to determine their effectiveness and efficiency. Data will be collected from 10 young adults with normal hearing and 15 newborns. Newborns will be tested in order to determine the feasibility of the proposed technique on the target population. During Phase II, a comprehensive clinical study will be conducted on newborns. This new approach will allow for better management of hearing loss cases and implementation of more efficient rescreening policies. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Newborn hearing screening is an important assessment tool in the early identification of infants hearing loss. The implementation of the proposed automated dual air and bone stimulation and analysis techniques is expected to greatly improve thereliability and validity of hearing screening. As such, the proposed work will greatly impact public health by developing better newborn hearing screening systems.