Hyperacusis in children: a scoping review
Iskra Potgieter1,2, Kathryn Fackrell3,4,5, Veronica Kennedy6
1National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Ropewalk House, 113 The Ropewalk, Nottingham, NG1 5DU, UK. iskra.potgieter@nottingham.ac.uk.
Insights
Hyperacusis in children is a significant auditory processing disorder. This review synthesizes current knowledge on their clinical profiles, assessments, and treatments, paving the way for evidence-based interventions.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Hyperacusis involves reduced tolerance to everyday sounds, significantly impacting children's daily lives.
- Despite clinical recognition, specific assessment and treatment methods for pediatric hyperacusis are lacking.
- A comprehensive review is needed to understand the clinical profile of children with hyperacusis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the clinical profile of children diagnosed with hyperacusis.
- To identify and analyze existing assessment and management methods for pediatric hyperacusis.
- To establish a foundation for future research in pediatric hyperacusis assessment and treatment.
Main Methods:
- A scoping review methodology was employed.
- Extensive literature searches were conducted across multiple databases (Embase, PsychINFO, PubMed CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar).
- Twenty-one research articles focusing on children with hyperacusis, their clinical profiles, and/or assessment/management strategies were included and data charted.
Main Results:
- Children with hyperacusis present with specific age ranges, sound sensitivities, physical sensations, behavioral responses, coping mechanisms, comorbidities, and life impacts.
- Assessment methods include interviews, questionnaires, neurological evaluations, observation, and loudness level testing.
- Management approaches encompass psychological therapy, sound therapy, tinnitus retraining therapy, medication, and neuro-rehabilitation.
Conclusions:
- The compiled information on clinical profiles, assessments, and management provides a basis for developing pediatric-specific hyperacusis measurement tools.
- Future research should focus on creating validated questionnaires for measuring hyperacusis impact and treatment efficacy in children.
- While various treatments show positive outcomes, further research is required to compare their effectiveness and define optimal parameters.
Background:
Hyperacusis is a chronic condition commonly defined as a lowered tolerance or increased sensitivity to everyday environmental sounds. It has been viewed as a paediatric disorder which can cause significant impairment to a child's normal functioning. Although clinical guidance highlights the importance of identifying whether the child has intolerance to loud sounds and managing this appropriately, there are currently no assessment or treatment methods that have been designed and tested for use with children with hyperacusis. A review is therefore indicated to consider the profile of children with hyperacusis as a basis for future research into their assessment and treatment.
Method:
A scoping review methodology was followed with literature searches conducted in Embase, PsychINFO, PubMed CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar. Research articles were included if they reported on research studies describing children diagnosed with hyperacusis, providing clinical profile information, and/or reporting on an assessment or management method for children with a primary complaint of hyperacusis. Data were charted on Excel and verified by a second researcher. Twenty-one research articles were included.
Results:
Children with hyperacusis are typically described in terms of age at presentation, troublesome sounds, physical sensation, behavioural reactions, coping strategies, comorbid conditions and impact on daily life. Methods of assessing the children include semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, neurological assessment, observation and uncomfortable loudness levels. Management methods include psychological therapy, sound therapy, tinnitus retraining therapy, medication and neuro-rehabilitation.
Conclusion:
The information we catalogued on various elements of clinical profile, assessment and management can serve as a stepping stone in future research developing questionnaires for clinical measurement of the impact of hyperacusis on children, and the measurement of treatment related change in clinic and in trials. Positive outcomes were noted by the authors following all of the above treatments; future research must compare these and specify the parameters for optimal results.
