EBP Compendium: Summary of Clinical Practice Guideline

Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists; Department of Health (UK); National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)
RCSLT Clinical Guidelines: 5.7 Deafness and Hearing Loss
Taylor-Goh, S., ed. (2005).
RCSLT Clinical Guidelines. Bicester, Speechmark Publishing Ltd.

AGREE Rating: Highly Recommended

Description:

This evidence-based guideline provides recommendations for the assessment and management of communication impairments caused by deafness or hearing loss in children and adults. These guidelines are intended for speech-language pathologists working with this client population. 

Recommendations:

• Language Screening/Assessment

In assessing the communication abilities of individuals with deafness or hearing loss it is important to:

• collect a thorough case history
• inspect the auditory device (hearing aid, cochlear implant) if applicable
• assess the individual's functional use of the auditory device (if applicable)
• video recording and analysis may be appropriate with the individual's consent
• assess the individual's use of multiple modalities of communication including gesture, spoken language, speech, and sign
• assess preverbal communication skills (if applicable)
• assess social and interaction skills
• assess spoken, written, and signed language (if applicable)
• assess aided and unaided auditory perception
• assess speech reading
• assess speech production or sign intelligibility
• assess voice and prosody
• Language Treatment

Management of communication impairments caused by deafness or hearing loss may include:

• early intervention
• intervention targeting social and interactional communication
• intervention targeting linguistic competence
• environmental modification
• auditory training
• intervention to improve speech intelligibility
• speech reading training
• classroom management

Keywords: Deafness; Hearing Loss

Access the Guideline

Added to Compendium: November 2010