Timo I Marttila1, Jukka O Karikoski. 1. Audiological Department, Ear-, Nose and Throat Clinic, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Haartmaninkatu 4 E, FIN-00029 HUS 29, Helsinki, Finland. timo.marttila@hus.fi
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study the factors contributing to the mode of hearing aid use in children, with special emphasis on hearing loss variables and detection delay. METHODS: The subjects were 328 children and adolescents (58.5% boys, 41.5% girls) aged 1-18 years with hearing loss of > or =30 dB HL in the better ear fitted with hearing aid(s). The study was cross-sectional analysing the mode of using the aid binaurally/unilaterally or not at all. RESULTS: The children with hearing-impairment ranging from 50 to 90 dB HL used more regularly their hearing aids. In the subjects with hearing loss > or =80 dB HL the presence of measurable hearing threshold at 4 kHz related significantly to the acceptance of amplification (p=0.027). In 19% of the subjects hearing aid was discarded. Bilateral amplification was used in 38%. Unilateral use was the prevailing mode (44%). The younger the children (p=0.000) and the worse their hearing loss (p=0.008), the more regular their bilateral use was. Early detection of hearing loss and early hearing aid fitting promoted binaural hearing aid use (p=0.004). A marked asymmetry in pure tone thresholds was a significant audiological reason for fixed unilateral hearing device use (38%, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that early detection of hearing loss and early habilitation of hearing increase bilateral use of hearing device and decrease the number of nonusers. Furthermore, residual unaided hearing at 4 kHz significantly improves the use of device.
OBJECTIVE: The aim was to study the factors contributing to the mode of hearing aid use in children, with special emphasis on hearing loss variables and detection delay. METHODS: The subjects were 328 children and adolescents (58.5% boys, 41.5% girls) aged 1-18 years with hearing loss of > or =30 dB HL in the better ear fitted with hearing aid(s). The study was cross-sectional analysing the mode of using the aid binaurally/unilaterally or not at all. RESULTS: The children with hearing-impairment ranging from 50 to 90 dB HL used more regularly their hearing aids. In the subjects with hearing loss > or =80 dB HL the presence of measurable hearing threshold at 4 kHz related significantly to the acceptance of amplification (p=0.027). In 19% of the subjects hearing aid was discarded. Bilateral amplification was used in 38%. Unilateral use was the prevailing mode (44%). The younger the children (p=0.000) and the worse their hearing loss (p=0.008), the more regular their bilateral use was. Early detection of hearing loss and early hearing aid fitting promoted binaural hearing aid use (p=0.004). A marked asymmetry in pure tone thresholds was a significant audiological reason for fixed unilateral hearing device use (38%, p=0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that early detection of hearing loss and early habilitation of hearing increase bilateral use of hearing device and decrease the number of nonusers. Furthermore, residual unaided hearing at 4 kHz significantly improves the use of device.
Authors: Elizabeth A Walker; Ryan W McCreery; Meredith Spratford; Jacob J Oleson; John Van Buren; Ruth Bentler; Patricia Roush; Mary Pat Moeller Journal: Ear Hear Date: 2015 Nov-Dec Impact factor: 3.570
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Authors: Ethan D Borre; Austin Ayer; Carolina Der; Titus Ibekwe; Susan D Emmett; Siddharth Dixit; Minahil Shahid; Bolajoko Olusanya; Suneela Garg; Mohini Johri; James E Saunders; Debara L Tucci; Blake S Wilson; Osondu Ogbuoji; Gillian D Sanders Schmidler Journal: EClinicalMedicine Date: 2022-06-17