Issues in Family-Centered Pediatric Audiology: An Overview

Background: There is broad consensus that screening and diagnosis of permanent hearing loss in children must be embedded within a comprehensive, evidence-based, family-centered intervention program. Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for pediatric hearing assessment and hearing aid verification aim to reduce variability in practice and increase the use of effective evidence-based diagnostic and treatment options so that optimal outcomes may be achieved. To be of value, guidelines must be translated and implemented into practice and ongoing monitoring of their use in practice should occur. Purpose: This paper provides the results of two studies that aim to examine current pediatric audiology and amplification practice in North America. Research Design: A concurrent embedded mixed methods design was used. Study Sample: An electronic survey was distributed to North American audiologists who delivered pediatric audiology services with 350 audiologists participating in study 1 and 63 audiologists participating in study 2. Data Collection and Analysis: A quantitative approach was the predominant method of data collection. Respondents were prompted to provide additional qualitative text and detail regarding their quantitative response choice. This qualitative text was used during the analysis phase and combined with quantitative results to assist understanding of respondents’ knowledge, skills, and barriers/facilitators to implement best practice in pediatric amplification. Results: Approximately 70% of audiologists reported using best-practice protocols for pediatric hearing aid fitting. Despite widespread knowledge and increased use of CPGs over the last 18 yrs, results of these studies show that variation in practice patterns continue to exist. Several examples of implementation challenges are discussed with recommendations provided. Conclusions: In order for audiologists working with children who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families to achieve the principles of family-centered early intervention, practice guidelines must continue to be developed, disseminated, and translated as they have a positive impact on the services provided. Researchers and clinical audiologists who deliver services must continue to collaborate to understand the “how” and “why” of implementing guidelines into practice and to identify the barriers/facilitators encountered in trying to do so.

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Developing an Early Intervention Preservice Specialization in Speech-Language Pathology

American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ◽

10.1044/1058-0360.0402.31 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 31-36 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Joanne E. Roberts ◽

Elizabeth Crais ◽

Thomas Layton ◽

Linda Watson ◽

Debbie Reinhartsen

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Early Intervention ◽

Intervention Program ◽

Graduate Program ◽

Master's Level ◽

Clinical Experiences ◽

Speech Language Pathology ◽

Early Intervention Program ◽

Language Pathology ◽

Family Centered

This article describes an early intervention program designed for speech-language pathologists enrolled in a master's-level program. The program provided students with courses and clinical experiences that prepared them to work with birth to 5-year-old children and their families in a family-centered, interdisciplinary, and ecologically valid manner. The effectiveness of the program was documented by pre- and post-training measures and supported the feasibility of instituting an early childhood specialization within a traditional graduate program in speech-language pathology.

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Expression of Concern: Servicing the Senior Swallow: A Family-Centered Private Practice Model of Service Delivery

Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups ◽

10.1044/2020_dec2020asha ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-1

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Service Delivery ◽

Private Practice ◽

Practice Model ◽

Family Centered

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Red Flags: Barriers to Listening and Spoken Language in Children with Hearing Loss

Perspectives on Hearing and Hearing Disorders in Childhood ◽

10.1044/hhdc24.1.11 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 24 (1) ◽

pp. 11-18

Author(s):

Andrea Bell ◽

K. Todd Houston

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Early Diagnosis ◽

Skill Acquisition ◽

Dynamic Process ◽

Spoken Language ◽

Red Flags ◽

Careful Monitoring ◽

Auditory Development ◽

Children With Hearing Loss ◽

Family Centered

To ensure optimal auditory development for the acquisition of spoken language, children with hearing loss require early diagnosis, effective ongoing audiological management, well fit and maintained hearing technology, and appropriate family-centered early intervention. When these elements are in place, children with hearing loss can achieve developmental and communicative outcomes that are comparable to their hearing peers. However, for these outcomes to occur, clinicians—early interventionists, speech-language pathologists, and pediatric audiologists—must participate in a dynamic process that requires careful monitoring of countless variables that could impact the child's skill acquisition. This paper addresses some of these variables or “red flags,” which often are indicators of both minor and major issues that clinicians may encounter when delivering services to young children with hearing loss and their families.

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