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Published on: October 11, 2024
Management of Cartilage Conduction Hearing Aids in Pediatric Patients
Satomi Yakawa1,2, Tomoko Sugiuchi1,2,3, Rika Myojin1,2
1Department of Otolaryngology, Sugiuchi Clinic, 2-7-4 Jiyugaoka, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-0035, Japan.
Insights
Cartilage conduction hearing aids (CC-HAs) show good wearing effects in children with unilateral or bilateral hearing loss. With creative solutions and support, CC-HAs can be worn successfully from infancy.
Area of Science:
- Audiology
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- Hearing loss affects numerous children, necessitating effective assistive devices.
- Cartilage conduction hearing aids (CC-HAs) offer an alternative for hearing rehabilitation.
- Early intervention with hearing aids is crucial for child development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the wearing status and effectiveness of CC-HAs in children.
- To assess the long-term usability and patient-reported outcomes of CC-HAs.
- To explore methods for improving CC-HA stability and wearability in pediatric users.
Main Methods:
- A follow-up study of 49 children using CC-HAs before elementary school completion.
- Evaluation of wearing and utilization status of CC-HAs.
- Interviews with 33 participants to assess wearing effects and identify challenges.
Main Results:
- 11/17 children with bilateral hearing loss and 25/32 with unilateral hearing loss continued CC-HA use.
- A good wearing effect was reported, including by children with unilateral hearing loss.
- Stable CC-HA fixation was achieved using hair bands and eyeglass vines when needed.
Conclusions:
- CC-HAs demonstrate good wearing effects and usability in pediatric populations.
- Innovative fixation methods can enhance CC-HA stability for children.
- With appropriate support, CC-HAs can be successfully implemented from infancy.
Abstract:
Forty-nine children who started wearing cartilage conduction hearing aids (CC-HAs) before completing elementary school (17 with bilateral hearing loss and 32 with unilateral hearing loss) were followed-up and examined. The wearing and utilization status of the CC-HA and its progress to date were evaluated. In addition, 33 participants who purchased the CC-HAs were interviewed to assess the wearing effect. Eleven of seventeen children with bilateral hearing loss and 25 of 32 children with unilateral hearing loss continued to use the CC-HAs. In terms of wearing effect, a good wearing effect was reported, even by those with unilateral hearing loss. In cases where it was difficult to wear CC-HAs stably with pasting or ear tips, it was possible to fix them stably using commercially available hair bands and eyeglass vines. In two cases, the CC-HAs were worn from infancy. With ingenuity and appropriate educational and medical support, it is possible to wear CC-HAs from infancy.
