Family Experiences Related to Early Hearing Intervention Guidelines in Washington State

In 2016, the Washington State Early Hearing Detection Diagnosis and Intervention program determined that only 56% of infants diagnosed with hearing loss were identified by three months of age. The aim of the present study was to determine what 'barriers' families face when obtaining a diagnosis for their child with hearing loss. A sixteen-question survey was developed using Qualtrics, distributed via email and on the Washington State Hands and Voices Facebook page. The survey collected feedback from parents who were (1) at least 18 years of age, (2) a parent or legal guardian of a child with hearing loss, and (3) a resident of Washington state. Factors were categorized as negative (barriers) or positive. A five point Likert scale was used for responses. The average score for each factor was used in various correlational analyses. Three negative factors were identified and included grief, uncertainty about what steps to take, and the person testing their child's hearing told them not to worry. Positive factors included resources to use at home and case managers. This study found a significant positive correlation between age of identification and the impact of a child passing an earlier screening, and a significant negative correlation between age of identification and impact of grief, impact of family or friends reassuring the family not to worry, and impact of having a case manager.