Fitting and Dispensing Hearing Aids

Brian Taylor, Au.D. is currently the Director of Practice Development & Clinical Affairs for Unitron. He is responsible for all best practice initiatives and customer loyalty programs for Unitron in the United States. Over the past 20 years he has dispensed hearing aids in both retail and medical settings, including Rockford Clinic and Sonus. Prior to his current position, he was the Director of Professional Development for Amplifon and served as their Global Training Manager in Milan, Italy. Dr. H. Gustav Mueller is Professor of Audiology, Vanderbilt University and holds faculty positions with the University of Northern Colorado and Rush University.

Chapter 1: Psychology of Hearing Loss Overview of the Market Place Common Traits of the Adult Hearing Impaired Population Counseling Strategies Chapter 2: Basic Acoustics Properties of Sound The Decibel The Speech Spectrum Chapter 3: Anatomy and Physiology of the Ear Outer Ear Middle Ear Inner Ear Central Auditory Pathways Chapter 4: The Measurement of Hearing The Audiometer & Audiogram Air and Bone Conduction Testing Speech Audiometry Chapter 5: Common Hearing Disorders and Audiogram Interpretation Disorders of the Outer Ear Disorders of the Middle Ear Cochlear Disorders Retrocochlear Pathologies Chapter 6: The Hearing Aid Selection Process Case History Candidacy Issues Pre-Fitting Considerations Pre-Fitting Testing Chapter 7: Hearing Aid Styles Styles Earmolds Earmold Modification Earmold Techniques Chapter 8: 8. Introduction to Hearing Aid Design Basic Components Gain Output Bandwidth and Distortion Compression Expansion Chapter 9: Advanced Hearing Aid Features and Special Options Multiple Channels of Compression Multi-memory Digital Noise Reduction Technology Directional Microphone Technology Adaptive Feedback Technology Data Logging Trainable Hearing Aids and Wireless Technology Open Canal Technology Implantable Hearing Aids and Cochlear Implants CROS/BI-CROS Chapter 10: Hearing Aid Fitting Procedures 2 cc Coupler Measures Programmability (NOAH, Hi-Pro) Threshold Based Prescriptive Fitting Procedures Verification Methods - Probe Microphone Measures Hearing Aid Orientation and Counseling Process Chapter 11: Outcome Assessment and Post-Fitting Issues Laboratory Measures of Outcome Self-Reports of Outcome Aural Rehabilitation Auditory Training Chapter 12: Solving Common Hearing Aid Problems Occlusion Effect Acoustic Feedback Problems Related to Loudness Speech Intelligibility in Quiet and Noise Appendix