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.