Development of ukrainian speech discrimination tests for children (phase of formation of tables with words)

Abstract

Topicality: The speech audiometry is an essential diagnostic method which allows to fully assess the effectiveness of the cochlear implantation and hearing aids, to identify the central auditory processing disorders among the patients. Ukrainian audiologists have all necessary tools to perform classical speech audiometry and determine speech discrimination in the difficult acoustic conditions in adults. But it should be said that Ukrainian speech tests for children haven’t been developed yet. Aim: to develop and implement the Ukrainian speech discrimination tests for children. To solve the problem of speech audiometry in Ukraine it was decided to develop several speech discrimination tests for children of different ages and needs. At the first stage the authors have formed the groups with Ukrainian words for speech audiometry in children (starting from preschool age) and made a studio recording of the test that should be tested and validated futher. The formed word groups meet with all the requirements for phonetically balanced speech discrimination tests taking into consideration the peculiarities of children’s audiometry. The following principles were adhered in each group: the presence of all Ukrainian vowel phonemes in the stressed syllable and consonants with different frequency; the presence of words with different numbers of syllables; taking into consideration the rhythmic structure of the word (stress place); keeping a constant ratio of vowels and consonants. The article presents the primary (not yet valid) version of the Ukrainian speech discrimination test for children’s audiometry. Studio recording of this test will be tested in children with normal and impaired hearing as well as in users of hearing aids and cochlear implants. Conclusions: For the first time in Ukraine the tables with words have been formed in the native language for the audiometry in children (starting from the preschool age). The studio recording of the speech discrimination test was done with the female voice. Hence the next phase of development of the Ukrainian speech tests for children is planned the sence of which will be to approbate and validate.