title: Achieving effective hearing aid fitting within one month after identification of childhood permanent hearing impairment.
abstract: Diagnosis of child permanent hearing impairment (PHI) can be made with extreme timeliness compared to the past thanks to improvements in PHI identification through newborn hearing screening programmes. It now becomes essential to provide an effective amplification as quickly as possible in order to restore auditory function and favour speech and language development. The early fitting of hearing aids and possible later cochlear implantation indeed prompts the development of central auditory pathways, connections with secondary sensory brain areas, as well as with motor and articulatory cortex. The aim of this paper is to report the results of a strategic analysis that involves identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats regarding the process of achieving early amplification in all cases of significant childhood PHI. The analysis is focused on the Italian situation and is part of the Italian Ministry of Health project CCM 2013 "Preventing Communication Disorders: a Regional Program for Early Identification, Intervention and Care of Hearing Impaired Children".
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy;
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bastanza
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy;
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gallus
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy;
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Carlini
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy;
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Picciotti
authors.affiliation: Audiology and Otolaryngology Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muzzi
authors.affiliation: Audiology and Otolaryngology Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ciciriello
authors.affiliation: Audiology and Otolaryngology Unit, Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Orzan
authors.affiliation: Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Otorhinolaryngology, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, "A. Gemelli" Hospital, Rome, Italy;
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Conti
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D006310:Hearing Aids; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007804:Language Development; D013060:Speech
keywords: Childhood hearing impairment; Early hearing aid fitting; Hearing aid professionals; Interdisciplinary collaboration; SWOT analysis