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Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses
Published on: January 23, 2017
Early intervention for children with unilateral and mild bilateral degrees of hearing loss
W June Holstrum1, Marcus Gaffney, Judith S Gravel
1McKing Consulting Corporation, Consultant for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Early Hearing Detection and Intervention, Lexington, South Carolina, USA.
Insights
Children with mild or unilateral hearing loss need better early intervention services. Current guidelines and awareness are insufficient, risking developmental delays and educational difficulties.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Children with unilateral or mild bilateral hearing loss are at risk for developmental delays and educational challenges.
- Many affected children do not qualify for existing early intervention services.
- Professionals and parents often lack awareness regarding the significance of these hearing impairments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address the challenges faced by children with mild and unilateral hearing loss in accessing services.
- To develop suggestions for intervention and future research based on expert consensus.
- To improve understanding and management of mild and unilateral hearing loss in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Consensus development by participants of the 2005 National Workshop on Mild and Unilateral Hearing Loss.
- Review of current challenges in service eligibility and professional/parental awareness.
- Identification of factors influencing developmental outcomes and needs for further data.
Main Results:
- Existing eligibility criteria for early intervention services are often inadequate for children with mild or unilateral hearing loss.
- There is a lack of clear guidelines for appropriate intervention services.
- Understanding of factors influencing developmental outcomes in this population is limited.
Conclusions:
- Improved awareness and tailored intervention strategies are crucial for children with mild and unilateral hearing loss.
- Current service delivery models may not adequately support these children.
- Further research is needed to identify optimal interventions and minimize adverse outcomes.
Abstract:
Some children with unilateral hearing loss or mild bilateral hearing loss are at risk for developmental delays, educational difficulties, and other adverse effects. However, these children face several challenges in receiving services that can prevent such problems. Many do not meet existing eligibility requirements for early intervention services in their state. Information disseminated to professionals and parents often does not convey the significance of unilateral and mild bilateral hearing loss. Some professionals indicate that there are insufficient guidelines defining appropriate intervention services for these children. Factors that influence developmental outcomes in this population are not well understood, making it difficult to determine which children can benefit from intervention services. Additional data are needed about how to minimize or prevent adverse outcomes in these children. This article presents suggestions for intervention and future research that were developed by participants of the 2005 National Workshop on Mild and Unilateral Hearing Loss.
