Pediatric Minimum Speech Test Battery
Pediatric Minimum Speech Test Battery
Background: Assessment of patient outcomes and documentation of treatment efficacy serves as an
essential component of (re)habilitative audiology; however, no standardized protocol exists for the assessment
of speech perception abilities for children with hearing loss. This presents a significant challenge
in tracking performance of children who utilize various hearing technologies for within-subjects
assessment, between-subjects assessment, and even across different facilities.
Purpose: The adoption and adherence to a standardized assessment protocol could help facilitate continuity
of care, assist in clinical decision making, allow clinicians and researchers to define benchmarks
for an aggregate clinical population, and in time, aid with patient counseling regarding expectations and
predictions regarding longitudinal outcomes.
Design: The Pediatric Minimum Speech Test Battery (PMSTB) working group—comprised of clinicians,
scientists, and industry representatives—commenced in 2012 and has worked collaboratively to construct
the first PMSTB, which is described here.
Conclusions: Implementation of the PMSTB in clinical practice and dissemination of associated data are
both critical for achieving the next level of success for children with hearing loss and for elevating pediatric
hearing health care ensuring evidence-based practice for (re)habilitative audiology.
Background: Assessment of patient outcomes and documentation of treatment efficacy serves as an
essential component of (re)habilitative audiology; however, no standardized protocol exists for the assessment
of speech perception abilities for children with hearing loss. This presents a significant challenge
in tracking performance of children who utilize various hearing technologies for within-subjects
assessment, between-subjects assessment, and even across different facilities.
Purpose: The adoption and adherence to a standardized assessment protocol could help facilitate continuity
of care, assist in clinical decision making, allow clinicians and researchers to define benchmarks
for an aggregate clinical population, and in time, aid with patient counseling regarding expectations and
predictions regarding longitudinal outcomes.
Design: The Pediatric Minimum Speech Test Battery (PMSTB) working group—comprised of clinicians,
scientists, and industry representatives—commenced in 2012 and has worked collaboratively to construct
the first PMSTB, which is described here.
Conclusions: Implementation of the PMSTB in clinical practice and dissemination of associated data are
both critical for achieving the next level of success for children with hearing loss and for elevating pediatric
hearing health care ensuring evidence-based practice for (re)habilitative audiology.