The use of individual hearing aids by hearing-impaired children: a long-term survey, 1977-1987

This paper reports on the use of individual hearing aids by hearing-impaired children over a period of 10 years, from 1977 to 1987. During this period the hearing aids of 1853 children attending schools for the deaf, units for the partially hearing (PHUs) and ordinary schools were examined. The examination covered those parts of a hearing aid which a teacher of the deaf, without the use of sophisticated equipment, could reasonably be expected to check to ensure that they were functioning properly. Thirty-nine per cent (39%) of these children were using bodyworn aids, and the rest (61%) were using ear-level aids. There was a marked degradation of both bodyworn and ear-level hearing aid use with increasing age of the children and this was true for both boys and girls in schools for the deaf, PHUs and ordinary schools. The girls were making better use of their aids than the boys. Only very little difference in good hearing aid use was found between the children in schools for the deaf and those in PHUs. (Good use--bodyworn aids: schools for the deaf 43%, PHUs 44%; ear-level aids; schools for the deaf 56%, PHUs 58%). The poorest use of aids was associated with the hearing-impaired children attending ordinary schools (Good use--bodyworn aids 36%, ear-level aids 49%). Overall, only 43% of the children wearing bodyworn aids were making good use of them. The corresponding figure for ear-level aids was 54%. These findings are discussed and suggestions for improvements put forward.