Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 23, 2026
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 hearing detection and intervention: parent experiences with the diagnostic hearing assessment
Rebecca Larsen1, Karen Muñoz, Janet DesGeorges
1Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA. karen.munoz@usu.edu
Insights
Parent experiences with infant hearing evaluations show progress in early diagnosis, but appointment delays and post-diagnosis uncertainty persist. Improving the early hearing detection and intervention process remains crucial for children with hearing loss.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Audiology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Hearing Science
Background:
- Early identification of infant hearing loss is critical for developmental outcomes.
- The Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (JCIH) recommends diagnosis by 3 months of age.
- Parental experiences are key to understanding and improving the diagnostic process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate parent experiences with the infant diagnostic hearing evaluation process.
- To identify challenges parents face in obtaining timely hearing evaluations for their children.
- To understand parental comfort levels and needs following a hearing loss diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey design.
- Surveys distributed to parents of children with hearing loss via support organizations.
- 416 completed surveys collected from 43 states.
Main Results:
- Median age of hearing loss diagnosis decreased from 11 to 2 months.
- The primary challenge reported for diagnosis by 3 months was delayed appointment availability (36%).
- 27% of parents felt uncertain about next steps after diagnosis.
Conclusions:
- Significant progress in reducing age of hearing loss identification has been achieved.
- Parent-reported challenges indicate delays exceeding JCIH recommendations.
- Parent experiences highlight areas for improvement in early hearing detection and intervention.
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate parent experiences with the infant diagnostic hearing evaluation process.
Method:
This study used a cross-sectional survey design. Surveys were distributed via parent support organizations in December 2009 to parents of children with hearing loss. A total of 416 completed surveys were received from 43 states.
Results:
The median age of diagnosis of hearing loss has decreased over time from 11 months of age to 2 months. For babies born between 2006 and 2009, the most frequently reported challenge to obtaining a diagnostic hearing evaluation by 3 months of age was a delay in appointment availability (36%). Just >¼ (27%) of parents reported that they did not feel comfortable in knowing what they needed to do next after talking with the audiologist at the time their child was diagnosed with hearing loss.
Conclusion:
Significant progress has been made over the past 2 decades in reducing the age of hearing loss identification. However, many parents in this study experienced challenges that resulted in delays that exceeded Joint Committee on Infant Hearing (2007) recommendations of diagnosis by 3 months of age. The parent-reported experiences provide valuable information about areas that need further investigation to improve the early hearing detection and intervention process for children with hearing loss.
Related Concept Videos
01:31Hearing
01:19Autism Spectrum Disorder
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.