Use of the Auditory Numbers Test to Evaluate Speech Perception Abilities of Hearing-Impaired Children

Abstract

A simple auditory test has been developed to assist in determining whether a young hearing-impaired child can perceive spectral aspects of speech or only gross temporal acoustic patterns. This live-voice test requires the child to identify counted sequences and individual numbers. It has been administered by two talkers to 39 children, three–eight years old, with mean hearing levels (500, 1000, 2000 Hz) at 60–130 dB. Resulting scores were bimodally distributed for both talkers, indicating effective separation of the subjects on the basis of minimal auditory function. Scores were related to mean HL, although a range from chance to maximum was obtained for children with audiograms at 100–113 dB. The test is recommended for rapid evaluation of speech perception in young hearing-impaired children to aid in the planning of an aural habilitation program.