The effect of non-linear frequency compression on hearing skills improvement in children with profound hearing loss, using Tavana test

Non-linear frequency compression is a new feature in hearing instruments compresses the voices of a high-frequency region above a certain cut-off point and transfers them to the lower frequency regions in order to improve the audibility. In this study، we aimed to survey the effect of this feature on the total level of hearing skills of children with profound hearing loss at the age of 3-4 years. Twenty two 3-4-years-old children with profound hearing loss were selected with improbable simple sampling. 11 of them had hearing instruments with non-linear frequency compression and 11 had traditional hearing instruments. Tavana test (Jarollahi، 2009) was used to compare the level of hearing skills in these two groups. Comparison of mean scores of total level of hearing skills in two groups indicated a significant difference (p <0. 001). Also، the mean scores of level in all subtests، detection (p=0. 022)، determination (p=0. 005)، recognition (p=0. 039) and comprehension (p=0. 010)، showed significant differences. Using the hearing instruments with non-linear frequency compression would increase the total level of hearing skills in children with profound hearing loss at the ages of 3-4-years and also، in all skill of detection، determination، recognition and comprehension.