Timeliness of Service Delivery for Children With Later-Identified Mild-to-Severe Hearing Loss.

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Bibliographic Details
Title:	Timeliness of Service Delivery for Children With Later-Identified Mild-to-Severe Hearing Loss.
Authors:	Walker, Elizabeth A.¹ elizabeth-walker@uiowa.edu, Holte, Lenore¹, Spratford, Meredith², Oleson, Jacob¹, Welhaven, Anne¹, Harrison, Melody³
Source:	American Journal of Audiology. Mar2014, Vol. 23 Issue 1, p116-128. 13p.
Subject Terms:	Audiometry, Health services accessibility, Longitudinal method, Mothers, Educational attainment, Children, Hearing aid fitting, Hard of hearing people, Interviewing, Medical care, Rehabilitation, Research funding, Time, Early medical intervention
Abstract:	Purpose: In this study, the authors examined diagnostic and intervention services for children identified with hearing loss (HL) after the newborn period. Method: The authors compared ages at service delivery and length of delays between service delivery steps for 57 later-identified children with HL and 193 children who referred for assessment from the newborn hearing screen (NHS). For only later-identified children, regression models were used to investigate relationships among predictor variables and dependent variables related to service delivery. Results: Children who referred from the NHS received follow-up services at younger ages than later-identified children. Later-identified children had significantly longer delays from entry into early intervention to HL confirmation, compared to children who referred from the NHS. For later-identified children, degree of HL predicted ages at follow-up clinical services. Children with more severe HL received services at younger ages compared with children with milder HL. Gender predicted the length of the delay from confirmation to entry into early intervention, with girls demonstrating shorter delays. Conclusions: The current results lend support to the need for ongoing hearing monitoring programs after the neonatal period, particularly when children enter early intervention programs because of language/developmental delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	Education Research Complete

Description
Abstract:	Purpose: In this study, the authors examined diagnostic and intervention services for children identified with hearing loss (HL) after the newborn period. Method: The authors compared ages at service delivery and length of delays between service delivery steps for 57 later-identified children with HL and 193 children who referred for assessment from the newborn hearing screen (NHS). For only later-identified children, regression models were used to investigate relationships among predictor variables and dependent variables related to service delivery. Results: Children who referred from the NHS received follow-up services at younger ages than later-identified children. Later-identified children had significantly longer delays from entry into early intervention to HL confirmation, compared to children who referred from the NHS. For later-identified children, degree of HL predicted ages at follow-up clinical services. Children with more severe HL received services at younger ages compared with children with milder HL. Gender predicted the length of the delay from confirmation to entry into early intervention, with girls demonstrating shorter delays. Conclusions: The current results lend support to the need for ongoing hearing monitoring programs after the neonatal period, particularly when children enter early intervention programs because of language/developmental delays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	10590889
DOI:	10.1044/1059-0889(2013/13-0031)