Background: This article presents the details and findings of a practical implementation of a preliminary model for use in hearing conservation programmes (HCPs) in the mining sector in South Africa. Objectives: The implementation is based on a previously published model, called feedback-based noise monitoring model (FBNMM), and represents its implementation as a tool of...
Background: Recent estimates reveal that there are approximately 280 000 children between the ages of birth and 14 years who are living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in South Africa. These children are living with a compromised immune system, are vulnerable to opportunistic infections and subsequent hearing loss. However...
Background: For effective client outcomes, stuttering assessment and intervention approaches need to be aligned. This encompasses using assessment and intervention approaches that address the three multidimensional constructs of stuttering, namely core behaviours, secondary behaviours and negative feelings and attitudes. Objective: The study aimed to explore whether multiple...
Noise-induced hearing loss is 100% preventable if the collaborative stakeholders in the prevention process are fully committed to the process and implement effective measures timely. Audiologists have within their scope of practice the prevention of hearing loss and this needs to be at the forefront of all advocacy campaigns to prevent occupational hearing loss (OHL). In a...
Background: Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) is a complex, but preventable, health problem for South African miners. Meticulously collected data should be made use of to design interventions to address this health issue. Objectives: A single mine’s electronic data were reviewed in a secondary data review to determine, from the records, factors that hearing...
Background: Chemical exposure leading to ototoxicity is a fresh challenge for occupational healthcare in South Africa. Objectives: The critical question is: ‘what is known about occupational ototoxic chemicals with or without noise exposure in South Africa?’ Method: This qualitative, mapping study was completed with published (peer-reviewed) and grey literature from 1979-2019...
Background: Occupational noise-induced hearing loss (ONIHL) does not occur in isolation from other influencing factors such as health conditions and illnesses like human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV and AIDS), as well as tuberculosis (TB). How the burden of disease influences the occurrence and/or management of ONIHL becomes a key if the goal...
No abstract available.
Background: Audiologists have a clinical and ethical responsibility to create a working environment, designed to reduce the potential for cross-contamination or transmission of infections. Objectives: To describe the infection prevention and control (IPC) measures utilised and the opinions of audiologists and speech therapists, and audiologists (A/STAs) towards IPC in public...
Background: This conceptual article is inspired by the first phase of a doctoral research project that aimed to develop and validate a bilingual language assessment test for IsiZulu-English-speaking children in grades 1, 2 and 3 with language-based learning disabilities (L-b LDs) in South Africa. Objectives: Phase 1, systematic literature review, pretesting and formulating of a...
BACKGROUND: There is evidence that the factors contributing to the prevalence and aetiology of hearing impairment vary widely from one country to another. In South Africa, as in other low-income and middle-income countries, more context-specific information on the estimated prevalence of hearing impairment and the factors that contribute to its onset is required. AIM: The aim of...
BACKGROUND: In future, the South African Department of Health aims to purchase services from accredited private service providers. Successful private audiology practices can assist to address issues of access, equity and quality of health services. It is not sufficient to be an excellent clinician, since audiology practices are businesses that must also be managed effectively...
BACKGROUND: There appears to be a perception amongst parents and in popular literature that infantile colic is caused by feeding difficulties. Limited support for this perception is found in scientific literature. Whilst there is scientific evidence that suck, swallow and breathing are key components of successful feeding, these components and the coordination thereof in infants...
BACKGROUND: Language and communication difficulties of young children with visual impairment (VI) are ascribed to intellectual disability, multiple disabilities and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rather than their sensory impairment. Consequently, the communication difficulties of children with VI may have been underestimated and undertreated. OBJECTIVES: This report aims to...
INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is contribute to clinical practice of bilinguals around the globe, as well as to add to our understanding of bilingual aphasia processing, by analysing confrontation naming data from four Afrikaans/English bilingual individuals with acquired aphasia due to a left hemisphere stroke METHODS: This is a case series analysis of four Afrikaans...
BACKGROUND: The home language of most audiologists in South Africa is either English or Afrikaans, whereas most South Africans speak an African language as their home language. The use of an English wordlist, the South African Spondaic (SAS) wordlist, which is familiar to the English Second Language (ESL) population, was developed by the author for testing the speech recognition...
Pharmacotherapy-induced ototoxicity is growing, especially in developing countries such as South Africa. This highlights the importance of ototoxicity monitoring and management of hearing loss. This article focuses on the establishment of an ototoxicity clinic as a site for the implementation of a service-learning module in the Audiology programme. The clinic offers a unique...
BACKGROUND: Current speech language assessment and intervention measures are not always culturally valid, as they are not standardised specifically for the various cultural groups within the South African population; and thus need to be adapted OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the appropriateness and utility of translations of the Ages & Stages Questionnaire...
BACKGROUND: South African speech-language therapists (SLTs) currently do not reflect the country's linguistic and cultural diversity. The question arises as to who might be better equipped currently to provide services to multilingual populations: SLTs with more clinical experience in such contexts, or recently trained SLTs who are themselves linguistically and culturally diverse...
OBJECTIVE: Previous surveys in the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), and Canada have indicated that most of the speech-language pathologists (SLPs) tend to use non-speech oral-motor exercises (NSOMEs) on a regular basis to treat speech disorders. At present, there is considerable debate regarding the clinical effectiveness of NSOMEs. The current study aimed...
This study seeks to investigate the development of noun and predicate comprehension and production in isiZulu-speaking children between the ages of 25 and 36 months. It compares lexical comprehension and production in isiZulu, using an Italian developed and validated vocabulary assessment tool: The Picture Naming Game (PiNG) developed by Bello, Giannantoni, Pettenati, Stefanini...
BACKGROUND: A significant number of medications that are prescribed by doctors to treat cancers, tuberculosis and infections are ototoxic. Disclosure of ototoxic risks is ethical practice as patients have the right to be properly informed about and involved in decisions about their health care. Often, doctors fail to disclose such information. AIM: This research investigated...
BACKGROUND: The increased incidence of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) and the consequent use of aminoglycosides with their ototoxic potential necessitate a better understanding of the audiological pattern of infected patients. OBJECTIVE: To describe the occurrence and nature of hearing loss in patients with MDR-TB receiving aminoglycosides over a period of 6 months...