Communication Sciences

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/11274/15391

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Browsing Communication Sciences by Author "Bharadwaj, Sneha V."

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    Effects of auditory feedback deprivation length on the vowel ∕ε∕ produced by pediatric cochlear-implant users
    (Acoustical Society of America, 2007) Bharadwaj, Sneha V.; Graves, Amanda G.; Bauer, Delia D.; Assmann, Peter F.
    Effects of auditory deprivation on speech production by ten cochlear-implanted children were investigated by turning off the implant for durations ranging from 0.3 to 5.0s and measuring the formant frequencies (F1 and F2) of the vowel ∕ε∕. In five of the ten talkers, F1 and/or F2 shifted when auditory feedback was eliminated. Without feedback, F2 frequency lowered consistently, suggesting vowel centralization. Phonetic transcription indicated that some of these acoustic changes led to perceptible shifts in phonetic quality. The results provide evidence that brief periods of auditory deprivation can produce perceptible changes in vowels produced by some cochlear-implanted children.
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    Effects of auditory feedback on fricatives produced by cochlear-implanted adults and children: Acoustic and perceptual evidence
    (Acoustical Society of America, 2006-02) Bharadwaj, Sneha V.; Tobey, Emily A.; Assmann, Peter F.; Katz, William F.
    Acoustic analyses and perception experiments were conducted to determine the effects of brief deprivation of auditory feedback on fricatives produced by cochlear implant users. The words /si/ and /ʃi/ were recorded by four children and four adults with their cochlear implant speech processor turned on or off. In the processor-off condition, word durations increased significantly for a majority of talkers. These increases were greater for children compared to adults, suggesting that children may rely on auditory feedback to a greater extent than adults. Significant differences in spectral measures of /ʃ/ were found between processor-on and processor-off conditions for two of the four children and for one of the four adults. These talkers also demonstrated a larger /s/-/ʃ/ contrast in centroid values compared to the other talkers within their respective groups. This finding may indicate that talkers who produce fine spectral distinctions are able to perceive these distinctions through their implants and to use this feedback to fine tune their speech. Two listening experiments provided evidence that some of the acoustic changes were perceptible to normal-hearing listeners. Taken together, these experiments indicate that for certain cochlear-implant users the brief absence of auditory feedback may lead to perceptible modifications in fricative consonants.
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    EMA compatibility of the Clarion 1.2 cochlear implant system
    (Acoustical Society of America, 2003-06) Katz, William F.; Bharadwaj, Sneha V.; Gabbert, Gretchen J.; Tobey, Emily A.
    Three experiments examined whether the Clarion 1.2 S-Series cochlear implant could be safely and effectively used within a Carstens Medizinelektronik EMA (electromagnetic articulography) system. Experiment 1 indicated no measurable effects of EMA magnetic fields on implant function. Experiment 2 showed no influence of the implant on the accuracy of EMA measurements. Experiment 3 found no indication of reduced sentence repetition abilities when EMA fields were present. The results suggest experiments with the Clarion 1.2 cochlear implant and the Carstens AG100 articulograph are safe and feasible.
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    An exploratory study of visual sequential processing in children with cochlear implants
    (Elsevier, 2016-06) Bharadwaj, Sneha V.; Mehta, Jyutika A.
    Objective: The objective of the study was to compare visual sequential processing in school-age children with cochlear implants (CIs) and their normal-hearing (NH) peers. Visual sequential processing was examined using both behavioral and an event-related potential (ERP) measures. Methods: Eighteen children with CIs and nineteen children who had hearing within normal limits (NH) participated in the behavioral study. Subtests from the Test of Visual Perceptual Skills and the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test were administered to all children. ERP measures were collected from five children with CI and five age-matched peers. Peak latencies (N200 and P300) and reaction times for visual sequential processing were compared in these two groups. Results: The findings of the study revealed significant group differences in visual sequential memory and visuo-motor sequencing tasks suggesting that children with severe-profound hearing loss may have difficulties in visual sequential tasks. The study also revealed longer P300 latencies and longer reaction times for a visual sequential matching task in children with CI when compared to their NH peers suggesting slower or delayed processing of visual sequential stimuli. Conclusions: This exploratory study involving behavioral and ERP measures showed that as a group, children with prelingual, severe-profound hearing loss who use CIs have difficulties with visual sequential processing. These findings may have implications for rehabilitation for children with hearing loss in the light of recent evidence that accurate and efficient processing of sequentially presented visual stimuli is important for language and reading outcomes.
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    Sensory processing disorder in children with cochlear implants
    (American Occupational Therapy Association, 2009-03) Bharadwaj, Sneha V.; Daniel, Linda L.; Matzke, Patricia L.
    We examined sensory-processing disorder (SPD) in children with cochlear implants and explored the relationship between SPD and duration of hearing loss or duration of cochlear implant use. Caregivers of 30 children completed the Sensory Profile Questionnaire (SPQ). Seventy percent of the children showed “at-risk” or “different” behaviors in one or more of five categories of the SPQ: auditory, visual, vestibular, tactile, and oral processing. No noteworthy relationships surfaced between duration of deafness or duration of cochlear implant use and the atypical behaviors identified. To validate these findings further, postrotary nystagmus (PRN) testing and Miller's Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP) were administered to a subset of children. PRN was atypical in all 6 children tested. MAP findings revealed atypical sensory processing in 4 of the 6 children. Findings suggested that children with cochlear implants may be at risk for SPD. The findings are discussed in light of clinician and teacher referral for occupational therapy evaluations.
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    Working memory, short-term memory and reading proficiency in school-age children with cochlear implants
    (Elsevier, 2015-10) Bharadwaj, Sneha V.; Maricle, Denise E.; Green, Lauren; Allman, Tamby
    Objective:The objective of the study was to examine short-term memory and working memory through both visual and auditory tasks in school-age children with cochlear implants. The relationship between the performance on these cognitive skills and reading as well as language outcomes were examined in these children. Methods:Ten children between the ages of 7 and 11 years with early-onset bilateral severe-profound hearing loss participated in the study. Auditory and visual short-term memory, auditory and visual working memory subtests and verbal knowledge measures were assessed using the Woodcock Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV Integrated and the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children II. Reading outcomes were assessed using the Woodcock Reading Mastery Test III. Results: Performance on visual short-term memory and visual working memory measures in children with cochlear implants was within the average range when compared to the normative mean. However, auditory short-term memory and auditory working memory measures were below average when compared to the normative mean. Performance was also below average on all verbal knowledge measures. Regarding reading outcomes, children with cochlear implants scored below average for listening and passage comprehension tasks and these measures were positively correlated to visual short-term memory, visual working memory and auditory short-term memory. Performance on auditory working memory subtests was not related to reading or language outcomes. Conclusions: The children with cochlear implants in this study demonstrated better performance in visual (spatial) working memory and short-term memory skills than in auditory working memory and auditory short-term memory skills. Significant positive relationships were found between visual working memory and reading outcomes. The results of the study provide support for the idea that WM capacity is modality specific in children with hearing loss. Based on these findings, reading instruction that capitalizes on the strengths in visual short-term memory and working memory is suggested for young children with early-onset hearing loss.