Logoaudiometry

Abstract

Introduction: The speech audiometry or verbal audiometry tests evaluate the patient's hearing capacity to understand the spoken word aurally. These consist of lists of words, which have been refined over time, to ensure their quality, repeatability and reliability.

Objectives: To analyze the methodology, procedures, techniques, and applications of speech audiometry.

Methods: A review of the literature on the subject was carried out. Fifteen references were used to better fit the topic. Google search engine, Google Scholar, and MEDLINE and SciELO databases were used.

Analysis and synthesis of information: Verbal audiometry is the study of hearing in which the subject has to respond to verbal signals such as phonemes, words, phrases or continued speech. This test seeks to find the uptake and discrimination of the ear for language, establishing the percentage of words understood correctly with the necessary intensity to be measured and expressed in relative decibels. As material, phonetically balanced word lists are used, presented live or on recording.

Conclusions: Within auditory studies, speech audiometry is a complex but important test that has clinical applications for people with prostheses, cochlear implants and/or brainstem implants, children and adults with hearing impairment in general. They complete conventional tonal audiometry.