Sheila Andreoli Balen

Estudo da prevalência e fatores determinantes da deficiência auditiva no município de Itajaí, SC

O numero de pessoas com deficiencia auditiva vem aumentando e o conhecimento de sua magnitude e fundamental no planejamento das gestoes publicas em saude. OBJETIVO: Estudar a prevalencia e os determinantes da deficiencia auditiva no Municipio de Itajai/SC. METODOS: O estudo foi de amostragem populacional, seguindo protocolo da Organizacao Mundial de Saude. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada entre julho de 2008 e 2011. Procedimentos realizados nos domicilios: questionario, medicao do ruido, otoscopia, limiares auditivos em 1000, 2000 e 4000 Hertz, timpanometria e reflexos acusticos: individuos acima de 4 anos; criancas ate 4 anos: emissoes otoacusticas evocadas (OEA), reflexo cocleo-palpebral (RCP), timpanometria e reflexos acusticos. Nos idosos, aplicou-se questionario de percepcao da perda auditiva. RESULTADOS: A amostra foi constituida por 379 individuos; 45,38% do sexo masculino e 54,62% feminino. Quanto as faixas-etarias: 11,34% ate 10 anos; 64,39% 10 a 60 anos e 24,27% acima de 60 anos. Avaliando-se a audicao da melhor orelha, os moradores apresentaram: 74,1% audicao normal, 18,9% deficiencia auditiva leve, 5,1% moderada, 1,9% grave. As deficiencias auditivas incapacitantes foram detectadas em 26 individuos: uma crianca (otite media); quatro adultos (um otite media, um induzido por ruido, dois idiopaticas); 21 idosos (presbiacusia). Das oito criancas menores de 4 anos avaliadas, todas apresentaram RCP presente, tres exames normais, duas OEA ausentes bilateralmente, uma OEA ausentes a direita e uma ausentes a esquerda. CONCLUSAO: A prevalencia de deficiencia auditiva incapacitante em Itajai foi de 7%, com predominância acima dos 50 anos e tendo como principal causa a presbiacusia.UNLABELLED The number of people with impaired hearing is increasing; knowing its magnitude is essential for public health. OBJECTIVE To study the prevalence and determinants of impaired hearing in Itajaí/SC. METHODS A population-based survey based on a World Health Organization protocol. Field research was carried out from July 2008 to 2011. Procedures for evaluating hearing in households: questionnaire, measurement of noise, otoscopy, pure tone audiometry at 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz, tympanometry, and acoustic reflexes: individuals above 4 years; children under 4 years: evoked otoacoustic emissions (OAE), cocleo-palpebral reflex(CPR), tympanometry, and acoustic reflexes. In the elderly population a questionnaire of perception of hearing loss was applied. RESULTS The study sample consisted of 379 individuals--45.38% were males and 54.62% were females. Age-range: 11.34% up to 10 years; 64.39% 10 to 60 years, 24.27% over 60 years. Evaluation of the best hearing ear showed that 74.1% of residents had normal hearing, 18.9% had mild hearing loss, 5.1% had moderate hearing loss, 1.9% had severe hearing loss. Disabling impaired hearing was detected in 26 subjects: one child (otitis media); four adults (one otitis, one noise-induced, two idiopathic); 21 elderlies (presbyacusis). Of eight children under 4 years all presented CPR, three were normal examinations, two had absent OAE bilaterally, one had absent OAE in the right ear and one in the left ear. CONCLUSION The prevalence of disabling impaired hearing in Itajaí was 7%; the highest prevalence was in the 50-year and above age group--the main cause was presbyacusis.

APLICABILIDADE DO SOFTWARE FAST FORWORD NA REABILITAÇÃO DOS DISTÚRBIOS DO PROCESSAMENTO AUDITIVO: RESULTADOS INICIAIS

BACKGROUND: news proposals of rehabilitation for children with auditory processing disorders associated to language and learning disorders are necessary to increase the efficacy of speech and language treatment. So, the purpose was to check the applicability of Fast Forword (FFW) software for managing auditory processing disorder (APD) in three Brazilian kids. PROCEDURE: these three children, ranging from 9 to 14-year old, were selected in basic auditory evaluation, auditory process evaluation, language evaluation and phonological awareness. These tests applied before and after the training with FFW, ran during 100 minutes a day, five days a week along eight weeks. The following strategies were applied: Circus sequence, Old Mac Donalds Flying Farm, Phoneme identification and Phonic Match, involving detection, discrimination, sustained attention and auditory memory. RESULTS: after about 30.67 days using FFW, we noted adequacy in auditory process of two kids. In one of the kids that were not the case, the same alterations showed in the auditory process re-evaluation. After a third week of stimulation a diminution of interest for the strategies was observed, which demanded a more intense and creative intervention of the researchers. CONCLUSION: it is possible to infer that FFW presents applicability for Brazilian kids with auditory process disturbances; however, research with larger samples is necessary in order to check the effectiveness of this software on Brazilian kids.

O uso de um software na (re)habilitação de crianças com deficiência auditiva

PURPOSE To verify the applicability of a software in the (re)habilitation of hearing impaired children. METHODS The sample comprised 17 children with hearing impairment, ten with cochlear implants (CI) and seven with hearing aids (HA). The Software Auxiliar na Reabilitação de Distúrbios Auditivos - SARDA (Auxiliary Software for the Rehabilitation of Hearing Disorders) was used. The training protocol was applied for 30 minutes, twice a week, for the necessary time to complete the strategies proposed in the software. To measure the softwares applicability for training the speech perception ability in quiet and in noise, subjects were assessed through the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT), before and after the auditory training. Data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS The group of CI users needed, in average, 12.2 days to finish the strategies, and the group of HA users, in average 10.14 days. Both groups presented differences between pre and post assessments, both in quiet and in noise. Younger children showed more difficulty executing the strategies, however, there was no correlation between age and performance. The type of electronic device did not influence the training. Children presented greater difficulty in the strategy involving non-verbal stimuli and in the strategy with verbal stimuli that trains the sustained attention ability. Childrens attention and motivation during stimulation were fundamental for a successful auditory training. CONCLUSION The auditory training using the SARDA was effective, providing improvement of the speech perception ability, both in quiet and in noise, for the hearing impaired children.

Frequency Modulation System and speech perception in the classroom: a systematic literature review

PURPOSE This review aimed at presenting the benefits regarding the speech perception in noise shown by children who wear hearing aid devices and/or cochlear implants with the Frequency Modulation (FM) System at school. RESEARCH STRATEGY A bibliographic survey was conducted in an electronic database with standardized search until the year 2012, and a manual search was performed by using specific keywords. SELECTION CRITERIA For the selection and evaluation of the scientific studies chosen in the search, criteria were established covering the following aspects: type of study, participants, adopted intervention, and evaluation of results. DATA ANALYSIS The FM system was verified to improve speech perception and speech threshold in noise in all studies. RESULTS Regarding the performance as to type, the best results were obtained when children used the personal FM system, followed by the table and the sound field systems. CONCLUSION After extensive review of national and international literature, it was concluded that the studies indicate the need for further research concerning mainly the impact of the FM system on the school performance of children who have sensory devices coupled to the FM system. Findings in the literature with relation to the publications focused on speech perception in noise did not relate educational and auditory aspects.

Contando histórias com realidade aumentada: estratégia para promover a fluência da leitura infantil

O objetivo deste trabalho e discutir o papel das tecnologias digitais no incentivo a leitura infantil. A compreensao textual de estudantes brasileiros e muito precaria, e sao necessarias medidas eficazes para melhorar esse quadro. Uma estrategia e fomentar a leitura desde os primeiros anos de escola, na esperanca de que melhorias na fluencia, na construcao de vocabulario e no desenvolvimento de atracao pela narrativa textual possam contribuir para a criacao de uma sociedade leitora. Neste trabalho, discutimos e apresentamos uma proposta de utilizacao de uma tecnologia digital em particular, a realidade aumentada, que cria uma nova perspectiva de interacao com o livro como objeto fisico, para melhorar a fluencia da leitura e auxiliar a melhorar os indices de compreensao leitora dos estudantes brasileiros. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ Telling stories with augmented reality: a strategy to increase fluency in children’s reading Abstract: This paper aims to discuss the role of digital technologies in stimulating children’s reading. Brazilian students’ reading comprehension is very poor, and effective actions are necessary to improve this situation. One strategy is to stimulate reading habits since the early grades, hoping that improvements in fluency, vocabulary building and increased interest in narratives may contribute to the creation of a society of readers. In this paper, we discuss and present a proposal for the utilization of augmented reality, a digital technology that has brought about a new perspective for interacting with books as physical objects, in order to improve Brazilian students’ reading fluency and their performance in reading comprehension tests. Keywords: Reading comprehension; Reading fluency; Augmented reality