Remote microphone systems as assistive technology for children with autism spectrum disorder
what does the evidence say?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23925/2176-2724.2025v37i1e69344Keywords:
Child, Autism spectrum disorder, Speech perception, Self-help devicesAbstract
Introduction: The Remote Microphone System (RMS) is an assistive technology designed to facilitate speech perception. Hearing children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) may present auditory deficits, auditory hyper-responsiveness, or both, and may also benefit from RMS. Objective: To assess the benefits of using RMS in hearing children diagnosed with ASD. Methods: This study is an integrative literature review. A search was conducted in different databases, including studies that evaluated the use of RMS in hearing children diagnosed with ASD. Results: Six studies were included. Four of them also assessed teachers and/or parents. The studies demonstrated an improvement in speech perception in noisy environments with the use of RMS, as well as a reduction in auditory-related stress. Teachers reported improvements in auditory comprehension, classroom behavior, and attention. Parents observed better performance in different environments and at a distance. Discussion: RMS can enhance communication and social interaction in children with ASD. However, some children may reject the use of personal receivers due to tactile hyper-responsiveness. Conclusion: The use of RMS in hearing children diagnosed with ASD may offer multiple benefits, such as improved speech perception in noisy environments, reduced stress in complex listening situations, enhanced perception of emotional prosody, increased attention and auditory memory, and a decrease in disruptive behaviors. However, the benefits vary among children, and it is not possible to guarantee them for the entire ASD population.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Anna Carolyna de Jesus Moraes, Tatiane Franciele de Almeida, Vanessa Luisa Destro Fidêncio
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