You searched for "assistive"
Patient-reported outcome measures: what do the people say?
Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) assess and quantify health outcomes from the patient’s perspective. Defining these questionnaires as outcomes indicates that they are psychometrically sensitive to change. This article describes three PROMS: namely the Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS),...
Advances in neural stimulation of the auditory pathway
This article reviews the use of neuroprosthetic devices such as cochlear and auditory brainstem implants (ABI) to stimulate the auditory pathway, discussing the successes, limitations and advances in this area. Currently, neuroprosthetic devices deliver electrical impulses to the cochlear nerve...
Bespoke is best for children with communication difficulties
Children with communication difficulties can benefit from augmentative alternative communication (AAC) aids to support them in daily interaction, as well as in developing milestones. One of the most difficult aspects of choosing a device is not only meeting the child’s...
X-ray vs. intraoperative testing for determining cochlear implant placement
Most cochlear implant centres confirm electrode position after surgery using X-rays to ensure optimal electrode placement. As well as transorbital view X-rays, this team check placement using impedance measures and neural response telemetry (NRT) performed intraoperatively. The former indicates whether...
Is it beneficial for children to undergo bilateral cochlear implantation before 12 months old?
Universal newborn hearing screening has allowed early diagnosis and, subsequently, early intervention in hearing loss. In 2020 the Food and Drug Administration candidacy criteria for cochlear implants (CI) expanded to include profound sensorineural hearing loss (HL) in children as young...
Hearing preservation in CI, any predictors?
The electrically evoked compound action potential (eCAP), obtained non-invasively from cochlear implant (CI) recipients, represents a population response of the auditory nerve to electrical stimulation. The eCAP characteristics include threshold (the lower the better), growth of response (the steeper the...
Monitoring the mouth in ALS
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; or motor neurone disease) is characterised by gradual loss of function in the speech muscles resulting in a progressive deterioration in a person’s ability to communicate. The aim of this study was to investigate the use...
Omalizumab for CRSwNP: a monoclonal antibody
A prospective study from London, evaluating the response of chronic rhinosinusitis patients with nasal polyposis who were being treated with monoclonal antibody against IgE for severe allergic asthma. Thirteen patients were treated with Omalizumab, according to UK guidelines for their...
An app to help display hearing results
Vestibular neuronitis (VN) is a common condition that we treat. Despite this, many of us lack the in-depth knowledge and scientific reasons for doing what we do. Granted, the evidence is lacking in some areas but this paper is worth...
Harnessing technology for the benefit of children with significant communication difficulties
This article describes future needs in provision and research in the field of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) aids for children with significant communication difficulties. The authors highlight the needs of users and the opportunities that technology could provide in...
Cochlear implantation in SSD
There are currently several trials for cochlear implantation (CI) in single-sided deafness (SSD) being undertaken to answer some of the questions this paper from New York raises. Who is best suited to receive one? What are their outcomes and how...
