Abstract
Objective: Investigate parents’ experiences monitoring aided hearing for children who use hearing aids, bone conduction hearing aids, and cochlear implants.
Design: A cross-sectional survey design, using three survey instruments, was used to collect parent data.
Study Sample: A total of 178 parents of children birth to six years were included in the analysis (81 hearing aid; 61 cochlear implant; 36 bone conduction hearing aid).
Results: Surveys explored hearing device use and monitoring. Variability was found for hearing aid use, and many parents reported being unaware if their child’s device has data logging capability. Parents varied widely in how often they check hearing device function, and approximately half did not have access to loaner hearing devices when repairs were required. Variance was observed in how often professionals explore how children are hearing at home through use of parent-report questionnaires, and related to audiology-specific services aimed at monitoring and maintaining audibility during routine appointments (e.g., checking program settings when new earmolds are received, frequency of earmold replacement, checking datalogging).
Conclusion: This study revealed variability in hearing device use, and monitoring for audibility by professionals and parents. Implications from this study suggest parent-professional parternships would benefit from better understanding of barriers/facilitators for parent learning and implementation of key monitoring tasks.
Recommended Citation
Munoz, K. F. Larsen, M. Nelson, L. Yoho, S. E. & Twohig, M. P. (2019). Pediatric Amplification Management: Parent Experiences Monitoring Children’s Aided Hearing. Journal of Early Hearing Detection and Intervention: Volume 9 Issue 1, pages 1-53, 4(1), 73-82. DOI: https://doi.org/10.26077/a049-v107
Retrieved from https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/jehdi/vol4/iss1/9
