A Hearing Screening Pilot Study With Students With Significant Cognitive Disabilities

Abstract

Purpose Many children with severe intellectual and developmental disabilities are at a higher risk for hearing loss than their peers who are typically developing. Unfortunately, they do not consistently participate in routine school-based hearing screenings. The current study investigated the feasibility of increasing their participation using an otoacoustic emissions protocol and documented results relative to student educational profiles. Method A total of 43 students with significant cognitive disabilities enrolled at a public school exclusively serving this population participated in the study. All but 9, who were excluded because of known hearing loss, were screened by a licensed audiologist assisted by audiology doctoral students. The protocol included otoscopy, tympanometry, distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs), and teacher surveys. Results DPOAE screening was attempted on 33 students without previously diagnosed hearing loss and successfully completed for 26 (78.8%). Two students (4.6%) with absent otoacoustic emissions and normal tympanograms were referred for further assessment due to concerns about possible sensorineural hearing loss in one or both ears, and 10 (23.3%) had abnormal tympanograms in one or both ears. Conclusions Considering the high risk of sensorineural hearing loss for children with significant disabilities, it is important for them to be included in school hearing screenings. The results of this study demonstrate the feasibility of using DPOAEs for school-based hearing screenings with this population with an interprofessional team of licensed audiologists, educators, and speech-language pathologists. The results further suggest that students with significant disabilities and hearing loss may be unidentified and underserved. Given the complex needs of this population, an interprofessional practice model for hearing screenings and intervention services is recommended.

Outcome of 10 years of ear and hearing screening in people with intellectual disability in Europe: A multicentre study

“…This way, the hearing state of the athlete is assessed automatically and without the need of any active participation by the athlete. DPOAE as assessment tool has been validated as well in the general population (Hall & Swanepoel, 2009; Joint Committee on Infant Hearing [JCIH], 2007), as in people with intellectual disability (Nederlandse Vereniging van Artsen voor Verstandelijke Beperking [NVAVG], 2019; Quick et al, 2020). The DPOAE screening either yields a ‘pass’ (hearing level threshold of <30 dBHL) or a ‘no pass’.…”

Hearing Loss Diagnosis and Management in Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

“…In addition to the high prevalence level of hearing loss in patients with IDD, studies have also shown a positive correlation between the severity of IDD and hearing loss [9]. Finally, many studies highlight that hearing loss often goes unidentifed and undertreated in patients with IDD, with previously undiagnosed hearing loss ranging from 19% to 58.7% [5,[10][11][12][13]. While hearing loss in patients without IDD can negatively impact multiple spheres of life such as cognition, communication, social contacts, safety, and occurrence of depression, patients with IDD are even more vulnerable to these consequences, making early screening, diagnosis, and treatment vital [10].…”