Effects of Grade and School Services on Children's Responsibility for Hearing Aid Care

Abstract

Purpose We investigated trends in hearing aid maintenance and assumption of responsibility for hearing aids in school-age children who are hard of hearing. Specifically, we examined the extent to which families own necessary hearing aid maintenance equipment, whether and by whom hearing aid maintenance tasks are being completed, and the effects of grade and receipt of an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 plan on a child's assumption of responsibility for hearing aid care. Method Participants included 167 children who are hard of hearing in 1st to 4th grade. Caregivers reported whether the families owned various types of hearing aid maintenance equipment (listening tube, battery tester, and dri-aid kit) and who normally completes various hearing aid maintenance tasks. Information about children's audiological characteristics was also collected. Results Thirty-two percent of families reported not owning at least 1 piece of hearing aid maintenance equipment. Using a battery tester and performing a listening check were the maintenance tasks completed the least frequently, with 49% and 28% of caregivers reporting that these tasks are not completed regularly, respectively. Children's responsibility for hearing aid maintenance increased with grade. After controlling for maternal education and degree of hearing loss, children with an IEP or 504 plan took more responsibility for hearing aid maintenance tasks than children without these services. Conclusion Important hearing aid maintenance tasks, such as listening checks, are not completed regularly for many children, even when families own the necessary equipment. Ensuring that children who are hard of hearing have an IEP or 504 plan throughout elementary school may support self-advocacy and encourage children to take responsibility for their hearing aids, which may lead to more consistent hearing aid functioning.

Longitudinal Speech Recognition in Noise in Children: Effects of Hearing Status and Vocabulary

“…For example, it is unclear whether higher HA dosage levels averaged across time is sufficient to support the development of speech recognition in noise, or whether fluctuations in auditory access (either due to inconsistency with wearing HAs or changes in hearing levels or aided audibility) could have a negative impact on listening in noise. The need to demonstrate the effects of aided auditory access is particularly relevant for school age children, some of whom receive less academic support in later grades (Page et al, 2018; Klein et al, 2019) and are at risk for inconsistent HA use in the classroom as they enter adolescence (Gustafson et al, 2015). Greater knowledge of the effects of HA dosage on speech recognition in noise can guide implementation of effective interventions for children with hearing loss and has the potential to motivate parents, teachers, and service providers to encourage increased HA usage.…”

Predictors of Listening-Related Fatigue in Adolescents with Hearing Loss

“…In a study that included children with typical hearing, unilateral HL, and bilateral HL, Gustafson, Camarata, et al (2021) that is unrelated to listening tends to increase as adolescents get older and take on increasingly more demanding academic, vocational, and extracurricular responsibilities. At the same time, adolescents with HL become more involved with the management of their HL as they get older (Klein et al, 2019), and they may become more adept at using strategies to promote effective communication and reduce listening-related fatigue. For these reasons, listening-related fatigue may follow a different trajectory from other types of fatigue over the course of adolescence, but longitudinal research is needed to confirm this idea.…”

“…Adolescents with an IEP or 504 plan may also be more engaged in the process of evaluating their own needs and developing an accommodation plan. Klein et al (2019)…”