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Determinants of communication skills development in children with hearing impairment
Beatriz C Albuquerque Caiuby Novaes1, Maria Carolina Versolatto-Cavanaugh, Renata de Souza Lima Figueiredo
1Graduate Program in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. beatriznovaes@pucsp.br
Insights
Early hearing aid use in children with hearing loss is crucial for language development. Consistent hearing aid use and positive family involvement significantly improve auditory and speech skills.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Audiology
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Speech-Language Pathology
Background:
- Early identification of hearing loss in infants is critical for timely intervention.
- Hearing aid use and family support are vital for optimal language development in deaf children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between the age of hearing aid onset, hearing function, communication abilities, and family factors in children with early-onset hearing loss.
- To understand the impact of family involvement and expectations on language development in young children with hearing loss.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal study of 35 infants with moderate to severe hearing loss over 24 months.
- Regular assessments included Visual Reinforcement Audiometry (VRA), Infant-Toddler Meaningful Auditory Integration Scale (IT-MAIS), Multidimensional Speech Scale (MUSS), and family satisfaction surveys.
Main Results:
- Consistent hearing aid use was strongly correlated with improved hearing and language skills.
- Children with dissatisfied parents showed severe hearing loss, limited auditory capacity despite aids, and poorer speech outcomes.
- Family satisfaction with child development was a key indicator.
Conclusions:
- Consistent hearing aid use is paramount for enhancing auditory and language skills in infants with hearing loss.
- Family involvement and realistic expectations are crucial for effective intervention and assessing progress.
- Datalogging and family-centered approaches can inform clinical practice and research for deaf children.
Purpose:
To establish relationships between age at onset of individual hearing aid use, functional hearing, communication skills, family involvement and family expectations regarding language development of children diagnosed with hearing loss during the first three years of life.
Methods:
Thirty-five babies diagnosed with moderate to severe hearing loss who were receiving treatment at the Children's Hearing Center/Derdic (CeAC) were evaluated during a period of 24 months. Assessments were carried out every six months and included: VRA--Visual reinforcement audiometry (with and without amplification); IT-MAIS; MUSS; and satisfaction of family regarding child development.
Results:
Cluster analysis was performed among the subjects. Consistent use of hearing aids was the only variable that exhibited a strong relationship with hearing and language skills. Children whose parents were not satisfied exhibited severe hearing loss and limited auditory capacity even with the use of hearing aid, and, consequently, poor auditory skills and speech production.
Conclusion:
Datalogging monitoring can guide the knowledge of speech-language pathologists and audiologists and it can also be used on strategic planning. Family involvement, quality of parental participation in the intervention program as well as expectations about the future are also important aspects to consider as these can aid therapists and researchers on the assessment of deaf babies intervention effectiveness.
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