Cochlear Implant Selection Process: Audiologist Practices

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate how cochlear implant audiologists manage the cochlear implant device selection process. Method This study used a cross-sectional survey design. The survey consisted of 17 questions, divided into 3 categories: (a) patient participation in device selection, (b) audiology practice characteristics, and (c) participant demographics. A hard copy of the survey was sent via U.S. Mail to cochlear implant centers across the United States. One hundred and forty-six surveys were completed and included in the analysis. Results In reference to the patient participation portion of the survey, the majority of audiologists (66%; n=97) reported that they require the recipients to choose the manufacturer of their devices, and various reasons were given to explain this decision. In reference to the practice characteristics portion of the survey, reported sources of cochlear implant training were manufacturer\u27s workshops (23%), on-the-job training with cochlear implant audiologist (20%), on-the-job training with manufacturer representative (18%), and fellowship placement at cochlear implant center (14%). Conclusions Audiologists play an important role in managing the selection process for cochlear implants; however, responsibility for the device selection was not typically shared between the audiologists and recipients regardless of training or practice characteristics

Cochlear Implant Recipients: Device Selection Preferences and Experiences

Cochlear implants can provide benefit for many deaf and hard of hearing individuals. When candidacy for implantation is determined, recipients are often responsible for selecting the manufacturer of their own cochlear implant. Recipients may, however, encounter various challenges in the selection process, due to the complexity of information and lack of standardization for patient education. This study explored the experiences of cochlear implant recipients with the selection process, including influential factors in their selection, their commitment to the implant, and their post-implantation perceptions. Eighty recipients who had received their implant within the last 12 months completed an online survey. Results of the survey revealed that a wide range of factors influenced selection, that most recipients chose a device without direct recommendations from their audiologist, and that many would have preferred to receive advice from their cochlear implant center in the selection of the device manufacturer

Recognizing Emotional Challenges of Hearing Loss

Hearing loss is a common condition. However, many adults who could benefit from amplification do not use their hearing aids even though it could help them overcome negative consequences, such as social withdrawal, loneliness, and depression. Equally concerning, hearing aid use is highly variable among young children, compromising speech and language development outcomes. How clients are coping with emotional challenges may be a contributing factor to hearing aid usage; such challenges may go undetected by audiologists. Depression and anxiety are common mental health conditions and can interfere with effective health care management and treatment adherence; for example, when parents of children with hearing loss were experiencing symptoms of depression, their children wore hearing aids fewer hours per day than those with no depression. Stress can also impact the physical and emotional well-being of clients with hearing loss and caregivers, and may its impact be positively influenced by social support

Audiologist Practices: Parent Hearing Aid Education & Support

Background: Early identification of hearing loss has led to routine fitting of hearing aids in infants and young children. Amplification provides opportunities to optimize child development, although it also introduces challenges for parents to navigate. Audiologists have a central role in providing parents with support to achieve effective management strategies and habits. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore current practices of pediatric audiologists who work with children birth to 5 yr of age, regarding their support of parent learning in achieving effective hearing aid management, identify existing gaps in service delivery, and to determine if audiologists were receptive to receiving training related to effective approaches to provide counseling and support to parents. Research Design: A cross-sectional, population-based survey was used. Study Sample: Three hundred and forty-nine surveys were analyzed from pediatric audiologists who provided services to children birth to 5 yr of age. Responses were received from 22 states in the United States. Data Collection and Analysis: Responses were collected through the mail and online. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the information. Results: More than half (61%) of the audiologists in the study had been providing pediatric hearing aid services to children birth to 5 yr of age for \u3e10 yr. Of the audiologists who reported monitoring hours of hearing aid use, the majority reported that they used data logging (90%). More than half of the audiologists (57%) who shared data logging with parents reported that they encountered defensiveness from parents when addressing hearing aid use. Information and skills that were not routinely provided by one-third to one-half of the audiologists included the following: how to get access to loaner hearing aids (30%), available hearing aid options/accessories (33%), available financial assistance (36%), how to teach hearing aid management to other caregivers (38%), how to do hearing aid maintenance (44%), and how to do a Ling 6 sound check (52%). Many audiologists reported they did not frequently collaborate with speech-language pathologists (48%), early interventionists (47%), or physicians (68%). More than half of the audiologists indicated a desire for more training in counseling skills, for all 14 items queried, to support parents with hearing aid management (53–79%), regardless of their previous training experience. Conclusions: For young children with hearing loss to achieve optimal benefit from auditory experiences for speech and language development, they need evidence-based, comprehensive, and coordinated hearing aid management. Audiologists have an important role for teaching information and skills related to hearing aids, supporting parent learning, and collaborating with other providers. Pediatric audiologists in this study recognized and desired the need for further training in counseling skills that can better prepare them to meet the emotional needs of parents in the hearing aid management process

Do you Know If Your Clients Are Having Challenges Coping

Hearing loss is a common condition, yet, many adults who could benefit from amplification do not use their hearing aids, even though it could help them overcome negative consequences such as social withdrawal, loneliness, and depression. Equally concerning, hearing aid use is highly variable for young children, compromising speech and language developmental outcomes. How clients are coping with emotional challenges may be a contributing factor to hearing aid usage, and such challenges may go undetected by audiologists. Depression and anxiety are common mental health conditions, and can interfere with effective healthcare management and treatment adherence; for example, when parents of children with hearing loss were experiencing symptoms of depression, their children wore hearing aids fewer hours per day than those with no depression. Stress can also impact physical and emotional wellbeing of clients with hearing loss and caregivers, and may be positively influenced by social support