EFFECTIVENESS OF THE ADHEAR BONE CONDUCTION DEVICE FITTED BILATERALLY IN A CHILD WITH CONDUCTIVE HEARING LOSS: CASE STUDY

Introduction Frequently, bone conduction hearing aids on a softband are not tolerated by children due to pressure on the head or visual esthetics. By way of contrast, a non-surgical hearing system – Adhear (Med-El, Innsbruck, Austria) – allows the sound processor to be attached using a noninvasive adhesive adapter. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Adhear system and assess its subjective benefits in a child who had bilateral conductive hearing loss. Case report The Adhear system was tested in a 13-year-old child with bilateral conductive hearing loss. Pure tone audiometry and speech audiometry in quiet were performed without and then with a pair of devices placed bilaterally. Word recognition scores (WRS) at 50 and 65 dB SPL in quiet were measured using the Pruszewicz monosyllabic Polish word test. After 4 weeks, subjective hearing benefit and experience with the Adhear system was done using the APHAB (<i>Abbreviated Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit</i>) questionnaire. Results With Adhear, WRS at 50 dB SPL increased significantly from an unaided score of 10% to 80%. The result of free-field audiometry with Adhear on both sides indicated a hearing level within the normal range. Conclusions Adhear is an effective rehabilitation option for children with bilateral conductive hearing loss.