Improving Outcomes Using Technology for Children Who Are DHH

Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Status: Active, not recruiting

Conditions: Hearing Loss; Social Behavior; Language Development

Treatments: Behavioral: Usual Care; Behavioral: augmentative and alternative communication technology

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02998164

CIN001-Improving Outcomes

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study evaluates the efficacy of using augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology for enhancing language development in children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Half of the participants will receive AAC technology with their speech and language therapy and half will continue with their usual care models.

Enrollment: 154 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 3 to 10 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• documented permanent bilateral hearing loss with severity levels clinically defined in any range (mild to profound);
• identified with a language gap;
• currently receiving speech-language therapy.

Exclusion criteria

• primary language other than English
• significant motor impairments
• nonverbal IQ <60
• children with severe communication disorders (i.e. autism spectrum disorders).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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154 participants in 2 patient groups

Technology-assisted language intervention

Experimental group

Description:

This intervention will incorporate augmentative and alternative communication software delivered on iPads into speech-language therapy

Treatment:

Behavioral: augmentative and alternative communication technology

usual care

Active Comparator group

Description:

This group will be usual care children are already receiving.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Usual Care