Communication Intervention in South Africa: Advocating for the Listening and Spoken Language Approach.

Adhering to Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) guidelines is critical for the timely identification and management of infants with hearing impairment. Early intervention specifically focusses on family-centred communication interventions, of which the Listening and Spoken Language-South Africa (LSL-SA) approach is available for children with hearing impairment in South Africa. Studies have evidenced significant benefits for children with hearing impairment enrolled in LSL-SA compared to those enrolled in Traditional Speech-Language Therapy (TSLT), that is, age-equivalent communication outcomes, shorter duration of therapy until discharge, meritorious academic performance and integration into a hearing society.

Experiences of parents of children with cochlear implants in South Africa: an exploratory study.

Purpose: Cochlear implantation is a well-established option for early intervention. Children with hearing impairment and their parents are users of intervention services, with parents being more suited to provide insight into their experiences. The purpose of the current study was to describe the experiences of parents of children with cochlear implants (CIs) in the South African context.

Hearing-screening record-keeping practices at primary healthcare clinics in Gauteng.

Objectives: As little is known about hearing screening practices at primary healthcare (PHC) clinics in South Africa, the study aimed to describe hearing-screening and record-keeping practices of nurses during typical immunisation sessions at PHC clinics in Gauteng, South Africa.

Methods: Data were obtained through observations (N2 = 80) and questionnaires (N1 = 20) which were then cross-checked with retrospective information collected from the Road-to-Health Charts and City of Johannesburg Child Health Services Blue Cards of children observed during typical immunisation sessions.

Results: A key finding of this study was that PHC nurses who participated in this study do not adhere to the hearing-screening record-keeping practices as outlined by the national Department of Health.