Gan Richard Wei Chern, Overton Parisa, Benton Claire, Daniel Matija
Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Derby Road, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK.
Nottingham Audiology Services, Ropewalk House, Nottingham, UK.
Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2017 Aug;99:117-119. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2017.05.027. Epub 2017 Jun 14.
ENT surgeons may refer children with otitis media with effusion (OME) to audiology for consideration of hearing aids. They are an option for the treatment of OME, but are only effective if the child actually wears them. Our study investigated what proportion of children referred for hearing aids actually receive them, and whether children use them.
Retrospective study of children referred to audiology from November 2013 to August 2014, including 70 children referred by ENT for hearing aids for OME, plus a further 5 children with OME given hearing aids through direct access audiology service.
During the study period, there were 202 referrals of children to audiology, of which 70 (34.7%) were for consideration of hearing aids for OME. Of these 70 referred children, 37 (52.9%) were not fitted with hearing aids due to normal audiometry (23), asymptomatic mild hearing loss (7), nonattendance (3), clinical decision to just monitor hearing (1), parental decline (2), and unrecorded reason (1). A total of 38 children (including direct access patients) were fitted with hearing aids for OME. Majority (36/38) of children issued aids used them, 16 all day, 7 only at school, 1 only at home, 3 only when needed, and 9 used them for an unspecified duration; 1 child's use of hearing aids was unrecorded, and 1 child refused to use it. 21 were fitted bilaterally and 17 unilaterally. 37 were behind the ear aids and 1 a BAHA softband.
A third of referrals to paediatric audiology by ENT are for consideration of hearing aids for OME. Only about half of children referred to audiology for hearing aids for OME actually receive them, as by the time they see audiology the hearing loss has frequently resolved or is asymptomatic so that aiding is unwarranted. Once fitted, they appear to be well accepted. Hearing aids have fair utilization in children fitted with them for OME.
耳鼻喉科医生可能会将患有中耳积液（OME）的儿童转介至听力学部门，以考虑是否需要佩戴助听器。助听器是治疗OME的一种选择，但只有在儿童实际佩戴的情况下才有效。我们的研究调查了被转介使用助听器的儿童中实际佩戴助听器的比例，以及儿童是否使用了这些助听器。
对2013年11月至2014年8月间被转介至听力学部门的儿童进行回顾性研究，其中包括70名由耳鼻喉科转介来考虑为OME佩戴助听器的儿童，以及另外5名通过直接听力学服务获得助听器的OME儿童。
在研究期间，共有202名儿童被转介至听力学部门，其中70名（34.7%）是为考虑为OME佩戴助听器。在这70名被转介的儿童中，37名（52.9%）由于听力测试正常（23名）、无症状轻度听力损失（7名）、未就诊（3名）、临床决定仅监测听力（1名）、家长拒绝（2名）以及原因未记录（1名）而未佩戴助听器。共有38名儿童（包括直接就诊患者）为OME佩戴了助听器。大多数（36/38）佩戴了助听器的儿童使用了它们，16名全天使用，7名仅在学校使用，1名仅在家中使用，3名仅在需要时使用，9名使用时长未明确；1名儿童佩戴助听器的使用情况未记录，1名儿童拒绝使用。21名双侧佩戴，17名单侧佩戴。37名佩戴耳背式助听器，1名佩戴骨锚式助听器软带。
耳鼻喉科转介至儿科听力学部门的患者中有三分之一是为考虑为OME佩戴助听器。在被转介至听力学部门考虑为OME佩戴助听器的儿童中，实际上只有约一半佩戴了助听器，因为在他们就诊时听力损失常常已经恢复或无症状，因此无需佩戴助听器。一旦佩戴，它们似乎很容易被接受。助听器在为OME佩戴的儿童中利用率尚可。
