Audiologists’ perspectives on management of mild bilateral hearing loss in infants and young children

Abstract

Objective

Universal newborn hearing screening programs have led to early identification of infants with congenital mild bilateral hearing loss (MBHL). The current lack of evidence-based protocols to guide audiological management of infants with MBHL has led to clinical equipoise about fitting of hearing aids. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding about the perspectives of paediatric audiologists on factors influencing their management of MBHLin infants and young children.

Design

A qualitative descriptive research methodology involving semi-structured interviews with audiologists.

Study sample

Twenty-three paediatric audiologists in diagnostic and rehabilitation settings in Victoria, Australia.

Results

Three main themes that influenced management were identified. These include: (1) evidence, or the lack of it, influences audiologists’ practice; (2) audiologists recognise the need to be fluid; and (3) family characteristics and parents’ perspectives. “Audiologists delivering family-centred practice” was identified as an overarching theme across these factors.

Conclusions

Audiologists recognised the importance of adopting a family-centred approach in their management of MBHL in infants and young children. Embodied in their practice was the acknowledgement of limited evidence, the consideration of multiple child and family factors, and the incorporation of perspectives of parents and families in adopting a fluid approach to provide individualised services.

Keywords:

• Mild bilateral hearing loss
• young children
• audiologists
• audiological management
• qualitative research

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all participants for their time and commitment to this study. We would like to acknowledge the assistance of Patricia Van Buynder in data collection, and Alison King and Peter Carew in supporting the recruitment for the study. Part of this study was reported at the Australasian Newborn Hearing Screening Conference held in Australia, 21–22 March, 2019, “It’s a grey area: the factors influencing audiologists’ management of children with mild bilateral hearing loss”.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflicts of interest relevant to this article to disclose.

Additional information

Funding

The Award Reference for the Garnett Passe and Rodney Williams Memorial Foundation Conjoint grant is 2018_CG_Sung_Ching. The grant number for the NHMRC Early Career Fellowship is [1125687]. VS is partly supported by a L'Oreal-UNESCO Australian and New Zealand for Women in Science Fellowship.