Barriers to early cochlear implantation.

Barriers to early cochlear implantation.

Int J Audiol. 2016 May 3;:1-13

Authors: Dettman S, Choo D, Dowell R

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Identify variables associated with paediatric access to cochlear implants (CIs).
DESIGN: Part 1. Trends over time for age at CI surgery (N = 802) and age at hearing aid (HA) fitting (n = 487) were examined with regard to periods before, during, and after newborn hearing screening (NHS). Part 2. Demographic factors were explored for 417 children implanted under 3 years of age. Part 3. Pre-implant steps for the first 20 children to receive CIs under 12 months were examined.
RESULTS: Part 1. Age at HA fitting and CI surgery reduced over time, and were associated with NHS implementation. Part 2. For children implanted under 3 years, earlier age at HA fitting and higher family socio-economic status were associated with earlier CI. Progressive hearing loss was associated with later CIs. Children with a Connexin 26 diagnosis received CIs earlier than children with a premature / low birth weight history. Part 3. The longest pre-CI steps were Step 1: Birth to diagnosis/identification of hearing loss (mean 16.43 weeks), and Step 11: MRI scans to implant surgery (mean 15.05 weeks) for the first 20 infants with CIs under 12 months.
CONCLUSION: NHS implementation was associated with reductions in age at device intervention in this cohort.

PMID: 27139125 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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