Deterioration in hearing caused by hearing aids in children?

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Pediatric Otolaryngology

Background:

• Severe hearing impairment affects a significant portion of children.
• Understanding progression patterns and causes of hearing loss is crucial for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the progression of hearing impairment in children with severe or residual hearing.
• To identify factors contributing to hearing loss deterioration in pediatric patients.

Main Methods:

• Longitudinal observation of 55 children with severe hearing impairment or residual hearing.
• Accurate pure-tone audiometric testing over several years.
• Analysis of potential causes for hearing deterioration, including intercurrent diseases and hearing aid use.

Main Results:

• Approximately 13% (7 children) exhibited unilateral hearing loss progression.
• Hearing aid use was not confirmed as a cause of deterioration.
• Intercurrent diseases were the primary identified cause of hearing loss progression.

Conclusions:

• Children with severe hearing impairment may be susceptible to additional auditory damage.
• Super-power hearing aids are indicated for residual hearing, but should be avoided during intercurrent illnesses.
• Intensive speech-hearing training, limited to 20-minute sessions, is vital for early language acquisition.