Auditory development after placement of bone-anchored hearing aids Softband among Chinese Mandarin-speaking children with bilateral aural atresia

Objective: To evaluate auditory developments of Chinese Mandarin-speaking children with congenital bilateral aural atresia after using Bone-anchored hearing aids (Baha) Softband and to compare them with matched peers with normal hearing. Method: Sixteen patients (age ranging from 3 months to 6 years) with bilateral aural atresia and 29 children with normal hearing (age ranging from 8 months to 6 years) were studied. Auditory development was assessed at three time intervals: baseline, 6 months and 12 months. Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (IT-MAIS) was conducted for children under 4 years old; Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (MAIS), Chinese Mandarin lexical neighborhood test (MLNT) and sound field pure tone audiometry (PTA) were used for children of 4-6 years old. Results: Mean IT-MAIS scores were 41 +/- 24%, 60 +/- 22% and 73 +/- 7%, respectively at three time intervals. Mean MAIS scores were 66 7%, 90 5%, and 99 2%. Mean speech discrimination scores at the three time intervals were 74 +/- 19%, 86 +/- 16%, and 95 +/- 4% with the easy disyllabic (D-E) list; 48 +/- 18%, 73 +/- 15%, and 81 +/- 7% with the hard disyllabic CD-H) list; 55 +/- 17%, 74 +/- 22%, and 83 +/- 14% with the easy monosyllabic(ME) list; and 31 +/- 14%, 61 +/- 15%, and 71 +/- 13% with the hard monosyllabic (M-H) list. Conclusions: Baha Softband is suitable for infants and young children with bilateral atresia. Results from these auditory development testing are encouraging. Baha Softband should be used as a bridge for surgical implantations when the temporal bone is thick enough. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.