Pediatric Amplification: Enhancing Auditory Access

A Volume in the Core Clinical Concepts in Audiology Series. 

Pediatric Amplification: Enhancing Auditory Access is a comprehensive resource that focuses specifically on the process of fitting children with hearing aids, a population that is underrepresented in the scientific and clinical literature. The text is based on a theoretical framework that posits that well-fit, consistently worn hearing aids can optimize the auditory access of children with hearing loss. This theoretical framework serves as the basis for providing clinical care to children with hearing aids and their families.

The content is organized around using best practices to provide aided audibility, promote consistent hearing aid use, and engage in high-quality linguistic input for children who wear hearing aids. The text is unique in its focus on the clinical management of amplification in the pediatric population using cutting-edge research based on the needs of children who are hard of hearing. It includes chapters dedicated to hearing assistance technology and case studies to illustrate the concepts presented.

Pediatric Amplification is a professional resource for clinicians and audiologists who serve children who wear hearing aids and their families and can also be used in graduate courses for students in audiology, deaf education, and speech-language pathology.

Douglas L. Beck, AuD, speaks with Ryan McCreery about issues in pediatric amplification and more in The Hearing Review. Read the interview here.

From the Foreword

"This volume is a treasure trove of resources for pediatric audiologists. The authors uniquely blend developmental theory with current evidence, resulting in considerable motivation and support for the clinical practice recommendations provided. This text will convince readers of the critical importance of best practices and why they matter for children's outcomes. It is a must read for those engaged in pediatric audiology in any arena. It will become a valued resource that guides the effort to promote optimal developmental outcomes for children in this promising era of early service provision."
—Mary Pat Moeller, PhD, Director, Center for Childhood Deafness, Boys Town National Research Hospital

Reviews

"It serves to motivate the reader, be that an experienced paediatric audiologist or someone new to or interested in the field. It would also be of interest to any professional who comes into contact or works with deaf children. It discusses the factors that, as clinicians, we can directly influence to improve a child’s audibility and those we cannot. It gives guidance on how these non-malleable factors can be faced and individualised for each child, paying particular attention to hearing aid use and wear, with a whole chapter dedicated to this topic.
The book covers the journey from screening and diagnosis to hearing aid fitting and evaluation. It includes simple case studies at the end to pull all of the discussed concepts together in real world scenarios. It has useful chapters on FM and assistive devices, with FM in the early years of particular interest. There is a section on the transition from hearing aid to implants with information on the newest procedures and expanding candidacy. The book gave an unintentional insight into private provision of paediatric hearing aids and assistive devices and how it may influence decision-making around it when these are not available to everyone universally."
—Paul Oddie, ENT & Audiology News (July 219)

Preface
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Contributors

Chapter 1. An Introduction to Cumulative Auditory Experience
Ryan W. McCreery and Elizabeth A. Walker

Chapter 2. Diagnosis of Hearing Loss: A Foundation for Pediatric Amplification
Ryan W. McCreery and Elizabeth A. Walker

Chapter 3. Hearing Aid Candidacy and Feature Selection for Children
Ryan W. McCreery and Elizabeth A. Walker

Chapter 4. Hearing Aid Verification for Children
Ryan W. McCreery and Elizabeth A. Walker

Chapter 5. Hearing Aids Use and Orientation
Elizabeth A. Walker and Ryan W. McCreery

Chapter 6. Monitoring Outcomes
Elizabeth A. Walker and Ryan W. McCreery

Chapter 7. Hearing Aid Connectivity
Meredith Spratford, Ryan W. McCreery, and Elizabeth A. Walker

Chapter 8. Transition to Cochlear Implants
Elizabeth A. Walker and Ryan W. McCreery

Chapter 9. Special Populations in Pediatric Amplification
Elizabeth A. Walker and Ryan W. McCreery

Chapter 10. Case Studies in Pediatric Amplification
Ryan W. McCreery and Elizabeth A. Walker

Index