Pediatric Audiology in North America: Current Clinical Practice and How It Relates to the American Academy of Audiology Pediatric Amplification Guideline

Abstract

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.

Using the Real-Ear-to-Coupler Difference within the American Academy of Audiology Pediatric Amplification Guideline: Protocols for Applying and Predicting Earmold RECDs

“…Insert earphones are, therefore, the recommended transducer for hearing assessments (AAA, 2012). Audiologists report using insert earphones as the primary audiometric transducer for children .3 yr of age (Moodie et al, 2016). During initial assessments, foam tips are coupled to the insert earphone for coupling to the child's ear.…”

“…The measurement and use of RECD values are more frequently implemented and perhaps better understood when it is applied at the hearing aid fitting and verification stages (Moodie et al, 2016). This is likely in part because early publications applying RECD-based transforms with young children were aimed at applicability of the measurement for coupler-based verification when on-ear (real-ear) measures were difficult to obtain Moodie et al, 1994).…”

“…This is likely in part because early publications applying RECD-based transforms with young children were aimed at applicability of the measurement for coupler-based verification when on-ear (real-ear) measures were difficult to obtain Moodie et al, 1994). Coupler-based verification protocols have provided a widely used alternative to conducting on-ear measurements, especially for the pediatric population (Jones and Launer, 2011;Moodie et al, 2016). Even when on-ear measures can be obtained with older children, audiologists report using individual measures of the RECD and coupler-based fitting to preset the hearing aid in preparation for on-ear verification measures with children (Moodie et al, 2016).…”

“…Coupler-based verification protocols have provided a widely used alternative to conducting on-ear measurements, especially for the pediatric population (Jones and Launer, 2011;Moodie et al, 2016). Even when on-ear measures can be obtained with older children, audiologists report using individual measures of the RECD and coupler-based fitting to preset the hearing aid in preparation for on-ear verification measures with children (Moodie et al, 2016). Coupler-based verification transforms using the RECD usually apply some form of Equation 2, in which the coupler response of the hearing aid is transformed to the predicted levels in the ear canal by adding microphone location effects (MLE) and the RECD:…”

Fitting Noise Management Signal Processing Applying the American Academy of Audiology Pediatric Amplification Guideline: Verification Protocols

“…However, because the AAA (2013) is a guideline rather than a protocol, it does not provide specific steps for clinical application of these recommendations. Therefore, the development of specific companion protocols may assist clinicians in fulfilling the principles of this guideline (Moodie et al, 2016).…”