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Clinical consensus document for fitting non-surgical transcutaneous bone conduction hearing devices to children
Marlene Bagatto1, Dave Gordey2, Lynne Brewster3
1Faculty of Health Sciences, National Centre for Audiology, Western University, London, Canada.
Insights
This consensus document provides guidance on bone conduction hearing devices for young children with specific hearing loss types. It aims to establish best practices in pediatric audiology for these devices.
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.
Abstract:
This clinical consensus document addresses the assessment, selection, and fitting considerations for non-surgical bone conduction hearing devices (BCHD) for children under the age of 5 years identified as having unilateral or bilateral, permanent conductive or mixed hearing losses. Children with profound unilateral sensorineural hearing losses are not addressed. The document was developed based on evidence review and consensus by The Paediatric Bone Conduction Working Group, which is composed of audiologists from North America who have experience working with BCHDs in children. The document aims to provide clinical direction for an area of paediatric audiology practice that is under development and is therefore lacking in standard protocols or guidelines. This work may serve as a basis for future research and clinical contributions to support prospective paediatric audiology practices.
