Exploring Speech and Language Intervention for Preschoolers who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing: A Scoping Review

Purpose: The objective of this study was to summarize the extant literature on the effectiveness of speech and spoken language interventions for young children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) to determine which types of speechlanguage interventions might be most effective, for which hearing levels and types of hearing losses, and at which dosage. Methods: Using a scoping review methodology, a database search identified 10,360 studies of which 16 met the requirements for inclusion. Data was extracted from each for analysis. Results: Due to the limited number of studies available, high variability in the nature of the studies, and insufficient details about the interventions and sample in many of the papers, fully addressing the study objectives was difficult. However, common themes included the positive effect of caregiver-centered approaches on language outcomes, the equal effectiveness of virtual versus in person intervention, the addition of other speech and language intervention techniques to Auditory-Verbal Therapy may improve outcomes, and the effect of speech and language therapy on auditory skills is unclear. Conclusions: This scoping review offers an initial step in analyzing and implementing evidence-based speech and language treatment protocols for children who are DHH. Keywords: Early intervention; auditory-verbal therapy; auditory-oral therapy; scoping review Acronyms: AVT = Auditory-Verbal Therapy; AVTs = auditory-verbal therapists; BAHAs = bone anchored hearing aids; CI = cochlear implant; DHH = deaf or hard of hearing; HA = hearing aid; MLU = mean length utterance; PCIT = Parent-Child Interaction Therapy; SLPs = speech-language pathologists; ToDs = teachers of the deaf Acknowledgements: The authors have no disclosures. This work was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Children, Community and Social Services. The authors would like to thank Marissa Tippet and Joyce Lam for their assistance with this review. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to: Hillary Ganek, PhD, The Hospital for Sick Children, 555 University Ave., Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada. Email: [email protected]

Exploring speech and language intervention for preschoolers who are deaf and hard of hearing: A scoping review

Purpose: The objective of this study was to summarize the extant literature on the effectiveness of speech and spoken language interventions for young children who are deaf or hard of hearing (DHH) in order to determine which types of speech-language interventions might be most effective, for which hearing levels and types of hearing losses, and at which dosage. Methods: Using a scoping review methodology, a database search identified 10,360 studies of which 16 met the requirements for inclusion. Data was extracted from each for analysis. Results: Due to the limited number of studies available, high variability in the nature of the studies, and insufficient details about the interventions and sample in many of the papers, fully addressing the study objectives was difficult. However, common themes included the positive effect of caregiver-centered approaches on language outcomes, the equal effectiveness of virtual versus in person intervention, the addition of other speech and language intervention techniques to Auditory-Verbal Therapy may improve outcomes, and the effect of speech and language therapy on auditory skills is unclear. Conclusions: This scoping review offers an initial step in analyzing and implementing evidence-based speech and language treatment protocols for children who are DHH

A Mixed Methods Cross-Cultural Investigation of Conversational Turn Taking in Families of Children with Hearing Loss

This study compares the communicative interactions of families of children with and without hearing loss in Vietnam to those used in Canada as an example of how language socialization practices influence parent-child communication in order for speech-language pathologists to create more culturally appropriate intervention techniques. Taking a mixed methods approach, quantitative data was collected using the Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) System conversational turn count (CTC). A protocol to validate the CTC with Vietnamese speakers was conducted as part of this project. Qualitative interviews focused on language were conducted with the childrenâ s parents. CTC for Vietnamese families was found to be valid for use (rs(18)=.70, pPh.D

LENA Studies Spreadsheet

This document contains information regarding the methods and participants used in LENA studies published between 2009 and 2017. It was originally published in Ganek, H. & Eriks-Brophy, A. (2018). Language ENvironment Analysis (LENA) System Investigation of Day Long Recordings in Children: A Literature Review. Journal of Communication Disorders, 72, 77-85. It can be updated here by the community. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1CTTPNSQ9Eeoglg7rNrs_w1IknKMoLeG2HpiDp-Zywvo/edit?usp=sharin

Prevalence of hearing loss in children living in low- and middle-income countries over the last 10 years: A systematic review

Aim: To summarize the literature on the prevalence of pediatric hearing loss in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Method: A systematic review initially identified 2833 studies, of which 122 met the criteria for inclusion. Eighty-six of those studies included diagnoses and were included in a meta-analysis.Results: The meta-analysis indicated a 1% (95% confidence interval = 0.8-2.0) prevalence of childhood hearing loss across LMICs. There was significant heterogeneity between studies and evidence of publication bias. The prevalence of mild and moderate cases of hearing loss was higher than more severe cases and there were fewer cases of mixed hearing loss compared to conductive or sensorineural hearing loss. No differences were identified between the prevalence of unilateral versus bilateral hearing loss or hearing loss according to sex. The quality of the studies, age of participants, and location of data collection may have influenced the results. High variability in the reporting of etiology made the causes of hearing loss unclear.Interpretation: The literature indicates that 1% of children in LMICs have hearing losses. However, most studies missed children with acquired hearing loss, which may lead to under-reporting of global prevalence. This systematic review is an initial step toward developing and implementing population-appropriate treatment and prevention programs for childhood hearing loss in LMICs

Longform recordings of everyday life: Ethics for best practices

Recent advances in large-scale data storage and processing offer unprecedented opportunities for behavioral scientists to collect and analyze naturalistic data, including from under-represented groups. Audio data, particularly real-world audio recordings, are of particular interest to behavioral scientists because they provide high-fidelity access to subtle aspects of daily life and social interactions. However, these methodological advances pose novel risks to research participants and communities. In this article, we outline the benefits and challenges associated with collecting, analyzing, and sharing multi-hour audio recording data. Guided by the principles of autonomy, privacy, beneficence, and justice, we propose a set of ethical guidelines for the use of longform audio recordings in behavioral research. This article is also accompanied by an Open Science Framework Ethics Repository that includes informed consent resources such as frequent participant concerns and sample consent forms