Clinical consensus document for fitting non-surgical transcutaneous bone conduction hearing devices to children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Audiology
• Hearing Device Technology

Background:

• Conductive and mixed hearing losses in children under 5 require specialized management.
• Non-surgical bone conduction hearing devices (BCHD) offer a solution for specific pediatric hearing impairments.
• Lack of standardized protocols for BCHD in young children necessitates clinical guidance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide clinical direction for the assessment, selection, and fitting of BCHD in children under 5.
• To address permanent conductive or mixed hearing losses in pediatric patients.
• To establish a foundation for future research and clinical practice in pediatric BCHD.

Main Methods:

• Evidence review and expert consensus by The Paediatric Bone Conduction Working Group.
• Inclusion of audiologists with extensive experience in pediatric BCHD.
• Development of a clinical consensus document.

Main Results:

• Key considerations for assessing, selecting, and fitting BCHD for children under 5 are outlined.
• The document focuses on unilateral or bilateral, permanent conductive or mixed hearing losses.
• Exclusion criteria include profound unilateral sensorineural hearing losses.

Conclusions:

• This consensus document offers crucial clinical direction for pediatric audiologists.
• It addresses a developing area of practice lacking standard protocols.
• The work serves as a basis for advancing research and clinical application of BCHD in children.