Software use in the (re)habilitation of hearing impaired children.

PURPOSE: To verify the applicability of a software in the (re)habilitation of hearing impaired children.

METHODS: The sample comprised 17 children with hearing impairment, ten with cochlear implants (CI) and seven with hearing aids (HA). The Software Auxiliar na Reabilitação de Distúrbios Auditivos - SARDA (Auxiliary Software for the Rehabilitation of Hearing Disorders) was used. The training protocol was applied for 30 minutes, twice a week, for the necessary time to complete the strategies proposed in the software. To measure the software's applicability for training the speech perception ability in quiet and in noise, subjects were assessed through the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT), before and after the auditory training. Data were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS: The group of CI users needed, in average, 12.2 days to finish the strategies, and the group of HA users, in average 10.14 days. Both groups presented differences between pre and post assessments, both in quiet and in noise. Younger children showed more difficulty executing the strategies, however, there was no correlation between age and performance. The type of electronic device did not influence the training. Children presented greater difficulty in the strategy involving non-verbal stimuli and in the strategy with verbal stimuli that trains the sustained attention ability. Children's attention and motivation during stimulation were fundamental for a successful auditory training.

CONCLUSION: The auditory training using the SARDA was effective, providing improvement of the speech perception ability, both in quiet and in noise, for the hearing impaired children.