Purpose: This study examined changes in datalogging for children attending an auditory–oral educational program with integrated audiology services versus children attending a mainstream or nonspecialized program. Method: Eighty children participated in this study, half of which were enrolled in an auditory–oral educational program versus the nonspecialized or mainstream setting. Datalogging for cochlear implant and hearing aid users was obtained via retrospective medical and educational chart review from 2016 to 2019. Results: Results demonstrated that at post-enrollment, children attending the auditory–oral educational program significantly increased device wear time (as measured by average hours/day) when compared to the control group. Children using hearing aids enrolled in the specialized educational program obtained the largest improvement in overall wear time, averaging an increase of 5 hr/day of device use from pre- to post-enrollment. Conclusions: This is the first study to document the association of specialized educational programs on device use. Clinical and educational programs should collaborate to provide integrated services to lessen family burden and increase a child's device use and retention.

The objective of this study was to obtain an understanding of audiologists’ knowledge of Spanish speech perception materials for the paediatric hearing loss population.An electronic survey, the Kno...

Background/Objectives: Multidisciplinary care is the gold-standard approach for delivering comprehensive pediatric healthcare. For children undergoing cochlear implant (CI) evaluation, multiple appointments are required to assess candidacy, set realistic expectations, and counsel families on rehabilitation and the psychosocial impact of hearing loss. Established pediatric CI users also need coordinated follow-up to address ongoing auditory, educational, and psychosocial needs. This study evaluated the satisfaction and family perspectives of the implementation of a virtual, team-based multidisciplinary model for both CI candidates and established CI users. Methods: Thirty-nine children and their families participated in discipline-specific telehealth consultations, including audiology, listening and spoken language (LSL) therapy, psychology, and educational services, followed by a 60 min multidisciplinary team meeting. Team meetings occurred during pre-implantation and at six months post-activation for CI candidates. Team meetings for established CI users were scheduled following completion of individual consultations. Providers summarized findings from their individual visits before transitioning to a caregiver-led discussion. Post-visit surveys assessed satisfaction and perceived benefit from the multidisciplinary model. Results: Thirty-nine dyads were enrolled (11 Pre-CI; 28 Established CI). Caregivers were predominantly mothers (89.7%), most identified as Hispanic (55.3%) and White (71.1%). Over half of children identified as Hispanic (59%) and White (71.8%); most were diagnosed with hearing loss at birth (55.9%). Satisfaction with the virtual model was uniformly high: 100% of caregivers were satisfied or very satisfied, and most rated care quality as “very good” or “excellent.” LSL therapy was most frequently rated as the most beneficial visit (70% Pre-CI; 45% Established CI). Caregivers strongly preferred ongoing team-based care, with 55–80% reporting that they would like it to occur every six months and 95–100% preferring remote meetings. Conclusions: A virtual multidisciplinary model offers a high-quality, family-centered approach for both CI evaluations and ongoing management of established CI users. By integrating simultaneous team-based sessions, this model not only supports the ‘whole child’ but also strengthens the family system by improving communication, streamlining care, and reducing the burden of multiple in-person appointments. Families consistently report high levels of satisfaction with the convenience, clarity, and collaboration provided through virtual team visits. Incorporating routine check-ins with families is essential to ensure their needs are addressed, reinforce progress, and guide timely, targeted interventions that maximize each child’s developmental outcomes.

Background/Objectives: Although genetic testing is recommended for pediatric hearing loss, referral rates within otology and audiology practices remain low. This study evaluated referral rates, referral pathways, and genetics appointment completion before and after implementation of a quality improvement (QI) referral protocol in an ethnically diverse pediatric cohort. Methods: Phase 1 (January–August 2023) included chart reviews of 88 pediatric patients with hearing loss to assess whether genetics referrals were made and completed. Data collected included demographics, referral modality (clinical note documentation, routed note to genetics, or direct referral order), and appointment status. In Phase 2 (September 2023–September 2024), a standardized referral protocol was implemented requiring all newly diagnosed patients to be referred using one of three predefined pathways. Providers received brief training and reminder cards. Chart reviews were then conducted for an additional 114 patients. Results: A total of 202 patients were included (Phase 1: n = 88; Phase 2: n = 114). Following protocol implementation, the proportion of patients with any documented genetics referral increased significantly (35.2% vs. 68.4%, χ² = 22.03, p < 0.001). Referral order placement, documentation, and note routing increased across all referral modalities (all p < 0.001). Genetics appointment completion also improved significantly, from 11.4% in Phase 1 to 38.6% in Phase 2 (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Genetic referrals for pediatric hearing loss remain underutilized but improved substantially following implementation of a standardized referral protocol. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing referral pathways and providing ongoing provider education. QI initiatives represent a practical strategy to enhance access to genetic evaluation and support precision care.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to compare pre- and post-operative word recognition scores (WRSs) for the adult Spanish-speaking population and to describe their cochlear implant (CI) performance trajectory. Methods: A retrospective chart review (n = 115) was completed for Spanish-speaking post-lingually deafened adults who underwent a traditional CI evaluation and subsequent surgery between 2018 and 2023. Pre- and post-CI (3, 6, 12-month) Spanish Bisyllable WRSs and CI datalogging (hours per day) were collected for 66 subjects who met inclusion. Patients were, on average, 61.4 years of age (SD = 14.9) at the time of their first CI, and all were Hispanic and White (100%). Results: The outcomes of the 66 subjects who met the inclusion criteria were analyzed. Spanish Bisyllable WRSs improved at all post-CI test intervals, though the mean change between intervals showed a decreasing trend over time, with a plateau in WRSs occurring by 6 months post-CI. Time was a significant predictor of increased post-CI WRSs at 6 months (p = 0.004) and 12 months (p < 0.001). Sex, the implanted ear, electrode type, CI manufacturer, and datalogging hours did not significantly predict Bisyllable WRSs. Conclusions: This study used the largest cohort dataset to date to describe pre-and post-CI WRSs for Spanish-speaking adults. The post-CI performance trajectory is similar in Spanish-speaking CI recipients compared to English-speaking cohorts. This study is fundamental in providing evidence-based outcomes for Spanish-speaking CI recipients and will assist clinicians with pre-CI counseling based on realistic expectations.