Transitioning Hearing Aid Users with Severe and Profound Hearing Loss from Linear to Nonlinear Amplification: Three Case Studies

In a research study conducted at the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), a group of severely and pro-foundly hearing-impaired users of amplification was fit with wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) for the first time. Many of the study participants expressed reservations about their initial sound experience with the new devices, prompting the experimenters to develop a set of recommendations for facilitating the transition from linear to nonlinear amplification for long-term, full-time hearing aid users with severe and profound hearing loss. Recommended management strategies include: (1) optimisation of the gain/frequency response prior to the activation of compression; (2) in situ demonstrations of new hearing aid features; (3) the use of systematic trial periods; and (4) client counselling during frequent follow-up appointments. The recommendations are illustrated through the cases of three research study participants, each of whom demonstrated very different initial reactions both to the new test devices and to nonlinear amplification.