The use of the Frequency Modulation System by hearing-impaired children: Benefits from the family's perspective

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the family's perspective of benefits of the frequency modulation (FM) system adapted to children with sensorineural hearing loss. Methods: This is a descriptive, analytical, cross-sectional study with the participation of family members of hearing-impaired children aged 6 to 15 years, users of hearing aids and/or cochlear implants, benefited with the FM system by a hearing health service of the Unified Health System (SUS), Brazil. The FM Listening Evaluation For Children questionnaire with 14 questions was used to evaluate the benefits of using the FM system, the characteristics of the hearing aids and/or cochlear implants, and the brand/model of the FM system the children used. Results: Statistically significant differences were found between the questionnaire responses of FM users and non-users in all situational analyses (quiet, noise, auditory only, distance), with better learning performance and improvements and attention among FM users, from the families' point of view. No method was used to formally evaluate such performances. Conclusion: It was observed that, according to the parents' and guardians' perceptions, the use of FM systems improves the performance of hearing-impaired children in various acoustic situations, with special emphasis on speech recognition in noisy environments and at increased distances from the sound source. Although used in different contexts and situations, the FM system has brought greater benefits for the children in the school environment, according to the respondents.