Tele-audiology diagnostic testing services for children with disabilities in a school setting: A pilot study

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Pediatric Healthcare
• Telemedicine

Background:

• Children with disabilities (CWDs) often face significant barriers in accessing essential diagnostic hearing evaluations, particularly those with comorbidities.
• These challenges can lead to delayed or missed diagnoses, impacting overall health and development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the feasibility of administering a tele-audiology diagnostic test battery to school-aged CWDs with comorbidities in a school setting.
• To assess the effectiveness and suitability of tele-audiology for this specific pediatric population.

Main Methods:

• A proof-of-concept pilot study with a cross-sectional design was conducted.
• The study included a pilot-norm group of typically developing children and a CWD group with comorbidities.
• A tele-audiology diagnostic protocol was tested and refined using the pilot-norm group before administration to the CWD group.

Main Results:

• Key aspects of facilitator roles, co-facilitator support for child-friendly testing, and technology requirements were identified.
• Tele-audiology enabled efficient assessment of peripheral hearing via synchronous tele video-otoscopy, tympanometry, and DPOAEs.
• Limitations were noted in conducting behavioral audiometry and completing tone-burst ABRs in CWDs via tele-audiology.

Conclusions:

• This exploratory pilot study provides evidence that a tele-audiology diagnostic test battery can be successfully administered in schools to school-aged CWDs with comorbidities.
• Tele-audiology presents a viable solution for delivering crucial hearing healthcare services to CWDs who might otherwise lack access.