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Systematic Hearing Performance Evaluation Process for Adolescents with Cochlear Implantation at Early Ages
Published on: March 24, 2023
916
A program evaluation of Kids2Hear, a student-run hearing screening program for school children
Tina Hu1,2, Katherine Stead3, Terence Fu3
1Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. tina.hu@mail.utoronto.ca.
Summary
Pediatric hearing deficits and ear abnormalities are common, affecting 9.3% and 19.3% of children screened, respectively. Girls showed higher rates of hearing issues and ear abnormalities, warranting further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric audiology
- Public health initiatives
- School-based health programs
Background:
- Childhood hearing deficits negatively impact language and cognitive development.
- Inconsistent universal neonatal hearing screening exists across Canada.
- Immigrant children often lack adequate hearing assessments.
Purpose of the Study:
- Evaluate the Kids2Hear program, a free student-led hearing screening initiative.
- Determine the prevalence of hearing deficits identified through school-based screening.
- Assess referral rates for audiological evaluation and physician consultation.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of screening data from 228 elementary school students.
- Data collected over six months across three inner-city schools.
- Screening identified hearing deficits and otoscopic abnormalities.
Main Results:
- 9.3% of participants screened positive for hearing deficits, requiring audiological referral.
- 19.3% were referred for otoscopic abnormalities.
- Females exhibited significantly higher rates of both hearing deficits and otoscopic abnormalities.
Conclusions:
- Hearing deficits and otoscopic abnormalities are prevalent in young children.
- Female children may face increased risk for hearing and ear issues.
- Further research is necessary to validate the effectiveness of such screening programs.
