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Three is not a crowd! Involving family members in audiology appointments

Family members currently have minimal involvement in the appointment. Image by Caitlin Grenness. Hearing loss in older adults not only affects the patients themselves, but also their family members. This article outlines the findings of recent research into how family...

What’s new in auditory processing?

Auditory processing disorder (APD) has had a controversial history, stemming mainly from lack of scientific rigor and accepted clinical definition. That situation is now changing. Driven by the huge number of people with unaddressed listening difficulties, basic discoveries in neuroscience,...

The basis of the bargain: outcomes not inputs

There are international drivers focusing our attention on measuring outcomes; Anthony Hogan looks at the data to see how we are currently measuring up. Introduction A global paradigm change is impacting on the provision of disability services. At its heart,...

Middle ear muscle disorders: presentation, diagnosis and management

Patients often report symptoms relating to disorders of the middle ear muscles. Prof Bance gives us an overview of the anatomy and function, as well as guides our diagnosis and management. The middle ear muscles (MEMs) are a mystery, both...

Cognition and hearing – you can’t test one with the other!

Cognitive Psychologist, Boaz M Ben-David, provides insights into the import of considering cognitive factors when assessing speech perception ability to maximise intervention success. Failing to do so, he suggests, is “ageist”, a predisposition healthcare professionals must avoid. Cognitive performance is...

Machine learning to support audiology

Jessica Monaghan and David Allen discuss how machine learning, using a wealth of data provided by hearing devices, can be used to streamline their functionality and fitting. They report on how it has been used to support clinicians to maximise...

Adult speech testing in the UK

What do hearing healthcare providers see as the benefits and barriers to delivering speech testing? This article explores the latest research. Why speech testing? Speech tests have been used across ENT and audiology practice to measure an individual’s speech recognition...

Hyperacusis and autism spectrum disorder

Several different auditory deficits have been found to be co-morbidities of ASD. This article reviews literature with respect to the relationship between hyperacusis and ASD. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be characterised as a neurodevelopmental condition that is marked by...

Hearing loss and Alport syndrome

Alport syndrome (AS) includes a group of hereditary diseases caused by mutations in the COL4A3, COL4A4 or COL4A5 genes. These genes are responsible for the biosynthesis of α3, α4 and α5 collagen IV chains, which are located in the glomerular...