Parental experiences with early childhood services for their child with hearing loss

Abstract

The field of audiology lacks research regarding parental satisfaction with the audiological services their child received during the diagnosis and management of their child's hearing loss. Additionally, it is crucial to obtain parental feedback regarding specific aspects of the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) that could be improved in order to increase parental satisfaction and involvement within these services. It is widely known and accepted that parental satisfaction and involvement with the EHDI services lead to more successful outcomes for the children with hearing loss. This study utilized a questionnaire to probe parental experiences. 97 respondents filled out the online-questionnaire regarding their experiences with the newborn hearing screening, audiological services, and early intervention services. The questionnaire involved both closed and open ended questions to allow respondents to expand upon their answers. Overall, results from responses indicated dissatisfaction with the newborn hearing screening process, satisfaction with services received from five different types of audiologists, ENT, and early intervention speech-language pathologist, and satisfaction with early intervention services. Respondents indicated suggestions for areas that needed improvement as well as areas that have exceeded expectations. Results from this study highlight the importance of parental input as well as the importance of positive interactions between parents and professionals. This would improve parent experiences and maximize the possible benefit of the program for the children with hearing loss.