2024 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 17-19, 2024 • Denver, CO
| Evaluation of Pediatric Audiologists’ Clinical Counseling Time, and Impact of Hearing Loss Simulation Software on Young Children’s Hearing Aid Use
Evaluation of Pediatric Audiologists’ Clinical Counseling Time, and Impact of Hearing Loss Simulation Software on Young Children’s Hearing Aid Use
Integrating consistent hearing aid use into a child's daily environment proves challenging for many families. Caregivers often need targeted resources and strategies from professionals to increase their child's use of amplification. Inconsistent device use is common at young ages and generally increases as children approach primary school enrollment (Walker, 2013). Pediatric audiologists provide family-centered emotional support and informational counseling to families of children newly identified with hearing loss. Moeller and colleagues (2009) suggested that in addition to counseling, the use of hearing loss simulations might offer families valuable insight into how their child experiences sound in everyday listening environments, thus improving understanding of their child's hearing loss.
To further investigate the relationship between audiological counseling and hearing aid use time, the current study encompassed two aims:
1. Document the amount of time audiologists currently spend counseling about the importance of hearing aid use at both the initial hearing aid dispensing and orientation (HADO) appointment and future follow-up visits (FUV).
2. Implement use of a hearing aid simulation tool during HADO appointments with families. This software enables caregivers to listen to changes in different speech and environmental stimuli when their child is listening with their hearing aids and without their hearing aids.
Both study components utilized data-logging, an estimate of the average hours per day that an individual uses their amplification devices, to examine how introduction of hearing loss simulation technologies and amount of clinical counseling affect pediatric hearing aid use.
Methods: To date, participants include 40 children initially diagnosed with permanent, bilateral mild-to-moderate or moderate-to-profound hearing loss between birth and four years old. All families were seen for audiological management at the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center. Data collection entailed the amount of time spent counseling about hearing aid use at each appointment and data-logging records at subsequent FUVs, with preliminary results to follow.
- 1.) Attendees will be able to list 3 different topics covered by pediatric audiologists during the informational counseling portion of hearing aid fitting appointments.
- 2.) Attendees will be able to list 2 different topics covered by pediatric audiologists during the informational counseling portion of hearing aid follow-up visits.
- 3.) Attendees will be able to identify appropriate strategies provided by clinicians to families of young children with hearing loss to promote increased use of amplification.
Presentation:
23278_13644EmilyThompson.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Emily Thompson
(POC,Primary Presenter,Author), Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, emily.c.thompson@vanderbilt.edu;
Emily Thompson is currently a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in Vanderbilt University's Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, who pursued a specialty concentration in early identification and management of children with hearing loss while earning her Au.D. (May 2019 VUSM program graduate). Dr. Thompson previously graduated from the University of Connecticut (Honors Program) with a B.A. in Psychology and Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences. In addition to serving as a LEND Program trainee, she recently completed an NIH-funded T35 Research Traineeship with Vanderbilt faculty mentor Dr. Anne Marie Tharpe. Dr. Thompson’s primary research interests encompass pediatric amplification and aural rehabilitation, with a clinical focus on exploring communication/psychosocial impacts of childhood hearing loss. She has spent over two years conducting newborn hearing screenings as a student technician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and has also participated in multiple different pediatric audiology research projects from August 2015 onward.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Kendall Carroll
(Co-Presenter,Author,Co-Author), Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson Center, kendall.a.carroll@vanderbilt.edu;
Kendall Carroll is currently a third-year Doctor of Audiology student at Vanderbilt University. Originally from Charlotte, NC, she studied Speech & Hearing Sciences, History, and English Literature at Washington University in St. Louis. At Vanderbilt, she is in the process of completing the early identification and management of children with hearing loss specialty track and has worked for several years as a newborn hearing screener at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital. She also volunteers with HEAR Nashville, a non-profit providing financial assistance for hearing devices to underserved communities in Tennessee.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
Anne Marie Tharpe
(Author,Co-Author), Vanderbilt University, anne.m.tharpe@vanderbilt.edu;
Dr. Tharpe is Professor and Chair, Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville Tennessee. The primary research emphasis in her laboratory has been in furthering our understanding of the developmental impact of hearing loss on young children. This work has been done by examining questions of behavioral indices of attention, environmental exploration, and academic outcomes. Her recent work has focused on the impact of hearing technology interventions on caregiver and child behavior and the sleep patterns in those with hearing loss. Dr. Tharpe has published extensively in national and international professional journals, has published numerous books and book chapters, and has presented to over 300 audiences around the world on pediatric audiology issues. She is co-editor with Dr. Richard Seewald of The Comprehensive Handbook of Pediatric Audiology, 2nd edition, which was published in 2016.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Nonfinancial -