SPEECH AUDIOMETER

Typical Number in Hospital: 2

Cost Bands: 3

References: 3

An excellent, though rather subjective measure of the extent of a hearing defect can be obtained by the delivery of speech (usually lists or groups of words or sentences) at a known sound pressure level and scoring the number of words correctly recognized. The speech is normally generated from a tape recording of the word lists played through an audiometer so that the sound level delivered can be changed to known levels for each part of the test. Clearly the level of co-operation of the patient is crucial to the correct interpretation of the results. Speech audiometers would be found in the audiology department.