Abstract
Introduction Hearing aids are a frequent management option for children with conductive hearing
loss (CHL) and it is necessary to determine the efficacy of outcomes. Limited information
regarding caregivers' perceptions and experiences are available to examine outcomes
in this population.
Objectives To describe hearing aid outcomes and caregivers' experiences for children with CHL
who wear behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids.
Methods Retrospective review of clinical data from 19 children between 0 and 13 years of
age with CHL, who were fitted with BTE hearing aids between January 2017 and March
2020. Hearing aid outcomes were documented at one month post-hearing aid fitting,
via average daily use and caregiver and teacher reports obtained through the Parents'
Evaluation of Aural/oral performance of Children (PEACH) and the Teachers' Evaluation
of Aural/oral performance of Children (TEACH). Telephonic surveys were conducted with
13 caregivers to explore their experiences. Qualitative data from open-ended questions
were analyzed thematically.
Results The average hearing aid use was 6.5 hours/day (2.0 standard deviation, SD; range
4.1–10.3) for bilateral hearing aid users. Questionnaire results indicated that most
children (PEACH – 83.3% and TEACH – 92.3%) used their hearing aids more than 75% of
the time. Participants performed better in quiet environments with limited sensitivity
to loud sounds at home and at school. Reported challenges included stigma and device
compliance.
Conclusions Children with CHL used their hearing aids for comparable hours (5–8 hours/day), as
reported for children with sensorineural hearing loss, but less than the recommended
10 hours/day required for adequate language development. Caregivers reported benefits
equivalent to expectations, with challenges similar to those reported in high-income
countries.
Keywords
pediatrics - hearing aids - conductive hearing loss - outcome measures - caregivers
