Optimising hearing aid output to paediatric prescriptive targets improves outcomes in children

Area of Science:

• Pediatric audiology
• Hearing aid technology
• Speech perception research

Background:

• Accurate hearing aid fitting is crucial for children's auditory development.
• Existing fitting protocols may not consistently meet pediatric audibility targets.
• Optimizing hearing aid output can impact speech intelligibility and overall performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the accuracy of hearing aid output against the DSL v5.0 Child prescriptive targets.
• To assess the impact of fitting adjustments on children's auditory outcomes.
• To compare initial and adjusted hearing aid fittings using audibility and performance measures.

Main Methods:

• Compared initial hearing aid fittings to DSL v5.0 Child targets.
• Readjusted fittings using coupler-based verification and RECD measures.
• Evaluated outcomes via Speech Intelligibility Index (SII), PEACH scale, and speech perception tests.

Main Results:

• Fit-to-target accuracy significantly improved post-adjustment (within 5 dB RMSE).
• Adjusted fittings yielded greater audibility, improved speech perception, and better parent-reported outcomes.
• Children aged 6-17 years showed a preference for adjusted fittings (50%) over initial ones (10%).

Conclusions:

• Optimizing hearing aid fit to pediatric prescriptive targets enhances audibility and speech perception.
• Best practice fitting procedures improve auditory outcomes and user satisfaction in children.
• Validated pediatric formulas and verification methods are essential for effective hearing aid management.