2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/11/2025 | 10:10 AM - 10:40 AM | Navigating Change: Parental Perspectives on Children's Transition to Surgical Bone Conduction Devices | 320
Navigating Change: Parental Perspectives on Children's Transition to Surgical Bone Conduction Devices
Children using bone conduction technology undergo a unique transition from non-surgical devices to implanted solutions. Parents face a challenging decision about pursuing surgery for a bone conduction device, considering factors such as the child’s age, developmental stage, and specific hearing needs. Concerns about timing and the balance between potential auditory benefits and future uncertainties add to the complexity. The emotional and logistical challenges of this decision underscore the importance of seeking comprehensive information as parents navigate this significant choice for their child's future. This study aims to evaluate parental perspectives and satisfaction regarding their child’s hearing performance and experience post implantation of a bone conduction device.
The study is part of a larger multi-center clinical trial run across seven U.S. clinics, which recruited pediatric patients, aged 5-11 years, for bone conduction implant surgery. Parents completed a post-surgery device use questionnaire, rating their satisfaction on a 0–10 scale (0 = very dissatisfied, 10 = very satisfied) across several questions. They also compared their child’s hearing ability and experience with the bone conduction device to their pre-surgical experience, providing insights into parental satisfaction. A total of 50 children were recruited (mean age 7.4 years, SD±2.0; 54% male, 46% female). Most had conductive hearing loss (n=35), followed by single-sided deafness (n=13), and mixed hearing loss (n=2). Initial analyses of the parental responses (n=48) from the device use questionnaire showed that they rated overall hearing performance post-surgery as highly satisfactory, with a mean score of 9.2 (SD±0.8).
Preliminary analyses indicate promising outcomes, with more in-depth analysis to follow. These findings may identify areas for improvement and serve as educational tools for clinicians and families. The high satisfaction levels reported by parents highlight the potential of surgical bone conduction devices to enhance children's auditory experiences, though further data will offer clearer insights.
- The participant will be able to compare children’s device usage patterns prior to and following surgery.
- The participant will be able to summarize parental attitudes toward surgical bone conduction devices.
- The participant will be able to list three reasons why children discontinue to use their pre-surgery hearing device.
Presentation:
3545975_18199LaurieMauro.pdf
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Laurie Mauro
(Primary Presenter), Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, MauroL@chop.edu;
Dr. Laurie Mauro is a pediatric audiologist at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) with over 20 years of experience providing audiologic care to children and their families. She received a Master of Arts degree (M.A.) from the University of Memphis and a Doctor of Audiology (Au.D.) from Salus University. Dr. Mauro is member of the CHOP Hearing Implant Team and is a Clinical Specialist in Bone Conduction Hearing Devices (BCHDs). Her responsibilities include staff education and training as well as the development and maintenance of evidence-based practice guidelines. Dr. Mauro's expertise is highlighted in various consulting projects with Cochlear Americas and Oticon Medical. She has presented nationally and internationally on BCHD practice and is a Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Audiology (COPA) Working Group member.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
• Receives Other financial benefit for Independent contractor,Other activities from Cochlear Americas.
• Receives Consulting fee for Consulting,Independent contractor,Other activities from Oticon Medical .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Cochlear Americas
Oticon Medical .
Nature: Employed by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).
Cochlear Americas funded the multi-center clinical trial.
Consultant for various projects with Cochlear Americas and Oticon Medical. She has received reimbursement for lodging/travel. .
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.