Sensory processing disorders in children with hearing impairment: Implications for multidisciplinary approach and early intervention.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the differences in sensory processing between children with hearing impairments and children with normal hearing and the variables that influence sensory processing disorder (SPD).


METHODS
The sensory processing abilities of 90 children were compared in three age-matched groups of 30, with cochlear implants (CIs), hearing aids (HAs), and normal hearing (NH). The Arabic Sensory Profile (Arabic_SP) was used.


RESULTS
Findings were presented in the Arabic_SP section and factor levels. Sections: The NH group performed better (p < .05) than the CI group in 57% of the sections and better than the HA group in 14%. The CI group exhibited more signs of SPD than the HA group with vestibular processing, multisensory processing, and emotional-social responses.


FACTORS
The NH group differed from the CI group on all the factors that showed significance and from the HA group with inattention/distractibility and poor registration. There were great differences between the CI and the HA groups on all the factors except with poor registration and fine motor/perceptual. Hearing loss variables that most affected results in the Arabic_SP were the age at receiving a hearing device and type of hearing loss onset.


CONCLUSION
Along with speech and language problems, children with hearing impairment are especially vulnerable to SPD. Children with CIs and HAs are increasingly susceptible to auditory processing disorders. Higher risks of balance, multisensory processing, social-emotional, and fine motor problems are in children with CIs. Increased SPD risks came with a higher age at implantation. Findings indicate the importance of a multidisciplinary approach for early detection and intervention for children with hearing impairment, especially those with CIs.
['Alkhamra|Rana A|RA|', 'Abu-Dahab|Sana M N|SMN|']
D016022:Case-Control Studies D002648:Child D002675:Child, Preschool D018479:Early Intervention, Educational D005260:Female D034381:Hearing Loss D006801:Humans D008297:Male D010468:Perceptual Disorders
Sensory processing disorders Children Hearing impairment Cochlear implants Hearing aids