CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2023; 27(01): e83-e96
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1742769
Original Research

Children with Conductive Hearing Loss Fitted with Hearing Aids: Outcomes and Caregiver Experiences in South Africa

Chéri van Zyl 
1   Department of Audiology, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa.
2   Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
,
Talita le Roux 
2   Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
,
De Wet Swanepoel 
2   Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
3   Ear Science Institute Australia, Subiaco East, Australia.
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Abstract

Introduction Hearing aids are a frequent management option for children with conductive hearing loss (CHL) and it is necessary to determine the efficacy of outcomes. Limited information regarding caregivers' perceptions and experiences are available to examine outcomes in this population.

Objectives To describe hearing aid outcomes and caregivers' experiences for children with CHL who wear behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids.

Methods Retrospective review of clinical data from 19 children between 0 and 13 years of age with CHL, who were fitted with BTE hearing aids between January 2017 and March 2020. Hearing aid outcomes were documented at one month post-hearing aid fitting, via average daily use and caregiver and teacher reports obtained through the Parents' Evaluation of Aural/oral performance of Children (PEACH) and the Teachers' Evaluation of Aural/oral performance of Children (TEACH). Telephonic surveys were conducted with 13 caregivers to explore their experiences. Qualitative data from open-ended questions were analyzed thematically.

Results The average hearing aid use was 6.5 hours/day (2.0 standard deviation, SD; range 4.1–10.3) for bilateral hearing aid users. Questionnaire results indicated that most children (PEACH – 83.3% and TEACH – 92.3%) used their hearing aids more than 75% of the time. Participants performed better in quiet environments with limited sensitivity to loud sounds at home and at school. Reported challenges included stigma and device compliance.

Conclusions Children with CHL used their hearing aids for comparable hours (5–8 hours/day), as reported for children with sensorineural hearing loss, but less than the recommended 10 hours/day required for adequate language development. Caregivers reported benefits equivalent to expectations, with challenges similar to those reported in high-income countries.

Keywords

pediatrics - hearing aids - conductive hearing loss - outcome measures - caregivers


Publication History

Received: 15 September 2021

Accepted: 02 December 2021

Article published online:
13 July 2022

© 2023. Fundação Otorrinolaringologia. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commecial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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