Efficacy of Auditory-Verbal Therapy in Children With Hearing Impairment: A Systematic Review From 1993 to 2015

International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology

Kaipa, R., & Danser, M. L. (2016).

International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 86, 124-134.

This systematic review investigates the effects of auditory-verbal therapy (AVT) on receptive and expressive language development, auditory and speech perception, and "mainstreaming" in children, 2-months-old to 17-years-old, with hearing loss.

Not stated

Prior to May 2015

Original studies

14

<p>Children with hearing loss who received auditory-verbal therapy (AVT) demonstrated the following outcomes:</p> <ul> <li>Ten studies targeted receptive/expressive language outcomes; however, only six of those studies included enough information to calculate the rate of language development post-AVT. Four of the six studies reported considerable language growth achievement, while two of the six studies found only negligible language growth in children with [hearing loss] HL (Level IIb - Level III Evidence).</li> <li>Two studies investigating speech/auditory perception results in children with HL reported positive changes (Level III Evidence).</li> <li>Three studies surveyed individuals to assess whether participating in AVT results in the ability to be mainstreamed. Two studies reported individuals' perception of being 'mainstreamed' and found 72%-76% considered themselves part of the hearing world. The third study reported 57% of AVT participants were fully integrated in regular schools (Level III Evidence).</li> </ul> <p>"The result of this review suggests that there is limited evidence to support the aim of AVT" (p. 133), which is to help children [with hearing loss] ... achieve receptive and expressive language results at the same level as typically hearing peers.</p>