Service Delivery to Children With Mild Hearing Loss: Current Practice Patterns and Parent Perceptions

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Pediatric healthcare
• Developmental pediatrics

Background:

• Mild hearing loss (HL) affects a significant number of children.
• Early identification and intervention are critical for developmental outcomes.
• Clinical practice patterns for mild HL require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate clinical practice patterns for children with mild HL.
• To examine parent perceptions of intervention and amplification for mild HL.
• To compare service delivery timelines for mild HL versus moderate-to-severe HL.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of service delivery steps for 113 children with mild HL.
• Comparison of age at intervention between mild and moderate-to-severe HL groups.
• Parental surveys on reasons for delays and perceptions of hearing aid (HA) use.

Main Results:

• Most children with mild HL were identified via newborn hearing screening.
• Children with mild HL received HA fittings significantly later than those with moderate-to-severe HL.
• Parents reported benefits from HA use, though some expressed ambivalence.

Conclusions:

• Audiologists are increasingly fitting HAs for mild HL.
• Delays in HA fitting highlight the need for improved professional and parent education.
• Timely amplification and early intervention are essential for children with mild HL.