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Special needs children with speech and hearing difficulties: prevalence and unmet needs
Mary Kay Kenney1, Michael D Kogan
1US Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Rockville, Maryland 20857, USA. mkenney@hrsa.gov
Academic Pediatrics
|March 15, 2011
Summary
A medical home significantly reduces unmet therapy and communication device needs for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) who have speech or hearing difficulties. Effective care coordination is key to accessing these essential services.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Communication Sciences
Background:
- Children with special health care needs (CSHCN) often experience speech and hearing difficulties.
- Unmet needs for essential therapies and devices can significantly impact a child's development and quality of life.
- Understanding the factors associated with these unmet needs is crucial for improving healthcare delivery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and sociodemographic factors of speech and hearing difficulties in CSHCN.
- To identify unmet needs for speech therapy, hearing aids, and communication devices among CSHCN.
- To examine how resources like health insurance, early intervention, and a medical home influence these unmet needs.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from the 2005-2006 National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs.
- Inclusion of over 300,000 children without special needs and over 40,000 CSHCN.
- Logistic regression to assess associations between unmet needs and available resources for 7,132 CSHCN with speech difficulties and 1,982 CSHCN with hearing difficulties.
Main Results:
- Parent-reported prevalence of speech difficulty was 2.9% in the general population and 20% in CSHCN; hearing difficulty prevalence was 0.7% and 5%, respectively.
- Unmet needs were highest for communication devices and lowest for hearing aids.
- Having a medical home, particularly with effective care coordination, was strongly associated with reduced unmet needs.
Conclusions:
- A medical home is significantly linked to fewer unmet needs for therapy and communication devices in CSHCN with speech and hearing issues.
- Effective care coordination within a medical home may be vital for connecting CSHCN with necessary communication services.
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01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by persistent deficits in social communication and interaction alongside restrictive and repetitive behaviors or interests. ASD is sometimes accompanied by intellectual impairment.
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
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01:25Learning Disabilities
Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
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01:31Hearing
When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.
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Cultural barriers:
Differences in values, beliefs, religion, knowledge, and tradition can significantly impact communication. Awareness of nonverbal cues is critical, especially when conversing with a patient from a different culture. What appears appropriate in one culture may be inappropriate in another.
Semantic barriers:
As a result of their tendency to use...