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BOOK REVIEWS
Scott P. Stringer, Section Editor
HEARING AIDS: STANDARDS, OPTIONS, ANDLIMITATIONS, SECOND EDITION
By Michael Valente (ed.), Thieme Medical Publishers,Inc., New York, 2002, 425 pp, $59.99
The book Hearing Aids: Standards, Options, and
Limitations, 2nd edition, updates the first edition
written in 1996 to reflect the technology that continues
to rapidly outpace textbooks on the topic. The era
surrounding the first edition printing was character-
ized by relatively simplistic linear input–output am-
plifiers, compression circuitry, and now comparatively
passe ‘‘class D’’ amplifiers. Today, advanced digital
processing techniques, directional microphone arrays,
and multichannel, nonlinear amplification schemes
have been incorporated into the ‘‘standard’’ hearing
aid, and keeping abreast of these changes can be dif-
ficult. Books like this are always welcome additions to
any dispenser’s library.
Undated chapters of the second edition address re-
cently revised American National Standards Institute
electroacoustic standards, multichannel concepts, direc-
tional amplification, digital amplification, and auditory
rehabilitation technologies. These topics are in addition
to the tried-and-true topics dealing with the operation
and theory of individual subcomponents of hearing aids
such as microphones, switches, earmolds, speakers, and
telecoils. The subjects are integrated in a logical and
readable manner, written by a variety of recognized
authorities on the topic. Very few pages are without at
least one photograph, table, and/or chart to supple-
ment the text. All chapters provide a rich compliment
of references, and all seem accurate and complete.
Although there are certainly a number of other
texts on modern hearing aids, this text is an excellent
stand-alone reference for those who wish to learn about
the internal mechanics of the modern hearing instru-
ment and the standards that define its operation. How-
ever, do not look to this book as a clinical reference for
fitting and verifying hearing aids to patients; instead,
the author has prepared an accompanying text on this
topic titled, Strategies for Selecting and Verifying
Hearing Aid Fittings, 2nd edition. The combination of
these two books serves as a complete ‘‘reference library’’
for both student and practitioner alike.
Even though hearing aid technology is in constant
flux, this text is among the most up-to-date of those
available on the subject and is therefore recommended
alone or, better yet, as a set with its accompanying book
on clinical applications. Both were a pleasure to review.
STRATEGIES FOR SELECTING AND VERIFYINGHEARING AID FITTINGS, SECOND EDITION
By Michael Valente (ed.), Thieme Medical Publishers,Inc., New York, 395 pp, $59.00
The first edition, published in 1944, was an excellent
work describing traditional hearing aid prescriptions
and fitting rationales. However, technological advances
have rapidly outpaced older texts, creating a need for an
up-to-date collection of information. Such advances
discussed in the text reflect the modernization of real-
ear measurement standards (American National Stan-
dards Institute, 1997), the incorporation of directional
microphones and the ability of these microphones to
improve hearing in noise, and the addition of an entirely
new category of hearing prosthetics, the implantable
hearing aid.
Conventional topics include maximum output, real-
ear measures, prescriptive fitting techniques, compara-
tive techniques, considerations of fitting modern aids
to various sensory and conductive loss configurations,
middle ear implants, rehabilitation, patient counseling,
and even infection control. The contributors are rec-
ognized experts in the field, and the supporting illus-
trations are plentiful, as would be expected from a
technical/clinical text of this type. References are also
plentiful and seem complete.
PHIL McCANDLESS, PhD
Jackson, Mississippi
Head & Neck 26: 555–556, 2004Published online 12 May 2004 in Wiley InterScience(www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/hed.20031
B 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Book Reviews HEAD & NECK June 2004 555
Interestingly, the text does not rely exclusively on
the presentation of modern strategies; instead, it pre-
serves the historical perspective of hearing aid fitting
management as a foundation and integrates modern
andadvancedconceptsinthepresentation.Therefore,the
book is well suited to students and professionals alike
who deal with hearing amplification on a daily basis.
Although there are certainly a number of other well-
written and timely texts available on clinical hearing
aids, this text concentrates on the clinical perspective
of amplification and intentionally de-emphasizes hard-
ware, standards, and technical amplification and hard-
ware issues. Instead, there is a second accompanying
book titled Hearing Aids: Standards, Options, and
Limitations, 2nd edition, which is a resource for those
interested in these matters. This book, or the two-book
combination, provides an excellent and nearly com-
plete ‘‘hearing aid library’’ for the audiologist, student,
or both.
PHIL McCANDLESS, PhD
Jackson, Mississippi
HEAD & NECK June 2004556 Book Reviews