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Download fileImproving communication outcomes for children with hearing loss in their early years: tracking progress and guiding intervention
thesis
posted on 2022-03-28, 17:21 authored by Aleisha Claire DavisA growing number of studies have examined predictive factors to language outcomes for children with hearing loss (Ching, Dillon, Leigh, & Cupples, 2018; Geers & Sedey, 2011; Tomblin, Oleson, Ambrose, Walker, & Moeller, 2014). Findings from these studies have led to best practice position statements and universal shifts in clinical practice, including the introduction of newborn hearing screening, early access to appropriate audiological and educational intervention, and family-centered partnerships with integrated teams of professionals (Joint Committee on Infant Hearing, 2000, 2007, 2013). The level of evidence for effective intervention, therapy and training programs though, still needs to be understood (beyond the comparison of outcomes for children taught using different communication approaches). Data on the use of communication approaches in published studies suggests the majority of child participants (52% to 98%) use a spoken component or oral communication system (Ching, Dillon, et al., 2013b; Gallaudet Research Institute, 2011; Niparko et al., 2010; Percy-Smith et al., 2013; Watson, Archbold, & Nikolopoulos, 2006; Yoshinaga-Itano, Sedey, Wiggin, & Chung, 2017). Despite considerable investment in research, design and development of hearing devices and coding strategies (Scollie et al., 2010; Vandali & van Hoesel, 2011; Wilson & Dorman, 2008), it is difficult to accurately evaluate the effect of device fitting and audibility levels over time in young children. Although there is a wide range of auditory measures available, in practice there are limitations to their use. These include a lack of versatility across age ranges, limited incorporation of real-world skills, minimal detail of how sound is used at a cognitive level, and the lack of ability to visually track progress and provide next steps. How a child with hearing loss detects, uses, and processes linguistic input in their everyday settings, that is, their 'functional listening skills', is critical to understanding how well they are able to develop oral language. As such, the development of an outcome measure, the Functional Listening Index (FLI®) was considered. It was suggested that such a measure could track the acquisition of a child's listening skills over time and provide a trajectory of developing listening competency. This information could be used by parents and caregivers to inform and guide early decisions, enabling and empowering choices regarding their child's intervention. Similarly, such information could be used by professionals to monitor progress and optimise intervention through targeted listening, learning and language experiences in a child's early and critical developmental years. Tracking functional listening acquisition through a tool such as the FLI may have the potential to improve a child's language and communication outcomes through informed, timely decisions, and individually, appropriately targeted intervention -- abstract.
History
Table of Contents
Chapter 1. Improving communication outcomes for children with hearing loss in their early years: tracking progress and guiding intervention -- Chapter 2. The problem with intervention -- Chapter 3. Intervention and training programs to improve the communication skills of children with hearing loss: a systematic review -- Chapter 4. Approaches to improving communication outcomes through intervention -- Chapter 5. A review of existing measures and considerations for development -- Chapter 6. Validity of the FLI® -- Chapter 7. Clinical feasibility and viability of the FLI® -- Chapter 8. Conclusions and considerations -- Chapter 9. Postscript: the development, commercialisation and broader application of the Functional Listening Index -- References -- Appendices.Notes
Theoretical thesis. Bibliography: pages 204-232Awarding Institution
Macquarie UniversityDegree Type
Thesis PhDDegree
PhD, Macquarie University, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Department of LinguisticsDepartment, Centre or School
Department of LinguisticsYear of Award
2021Principal Supervisor
Elisabeth HarrisonAdditional Supervisor 1
Robert CowanRights
Copyright Aleisha Claire Davis 2021. Copyright disclaimer: http://mq.edu.au/library/copyrightLanguage
EnglishExtent
1 online resource (251 pages): graphs, diagramsFormer Identifiers
mq:72238 http://hdl.handle.net/1959.14/1282790Usage metrics
Categories
Keywords
Deaf childrenLanguage acquisitionListening comprehensionlanguagefunctional listeningChildren -- Language -- TestingChildrenearly intervention managementhearing lossHearing impaired children -- Means of communicationoutcomestracking progresshearing aidsHearing impaired childrenDeaf children -- Means of communicationcochlear implantscommunication