Speech discrimination and word identification with a consumer-level bone-conduction headset and remote microphone for children with normal hearing

Abstract

Objective This study investigated the use of bone-conduction headsets paired to a wireless, remote microphone on speech discrimination and word identification for children with normal hearing. Design Children were tested with and without the headset, using the McCormick speech discrimination test in quiet and in speech-shaped noise to measure word-discrimination thresholds. Additionally, open-set word identification in noise was assessed while children were simultaneously engaged in a visual-monitoring task. Study sample Twenty normal-hearing children, aged 4–11 years. Results Median word-discrimination threshold in quiet (n = 20) was 20.5 dB(A) without a headset and 11.5 dB(A) with a headset (Z = –3.826, p = 0.0001). In noise, the median word-discrimination threshold (n = 20) was 52 dB(A) without a headset and 40.5 dB(A) with a headset (Z = –3.926, p< 0.0001). For open-set word identification (n = 11), children performed significantly better with a headset than without it, with an average improvement of 23 percentage points (t(10) = −5.227, p = 0.0004, two tailed). Conclusions A bone-conduction headset paired to a Bluetooth microphone improved discrimination of distant speech in quiet and in noise and open-set word identification in noise.