Best Practice Considerations for Fitting Bone Conduction Devices to Children

Audiology

Advanced

Self-Study

8hr 10min

Continuing Education

0.80 AAA CEUs
8.00 AG Bell CEUs
0.80 ASHA CEUs

Register until Dec. 30, 2026

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Course Overview
Course Outline

Course Overview

Bone conduction devices (BCD) are a technological option for individuals who are not candidates for traditional air conduction technology (e.g., behind the ear hearing aid) or a cochlear implant. BCDs are commonly provided to patients who have outer ear anatomical abnormalities (i.e., microtia and ear canal atresia), which causes conductive or mixed hearing loss. Over the past 5 years, there has been significant advances in research and clinical tools to support individualized verification of both surgical and non-surgical BCDs. This verification process is similar for air conduction devices. Selecting the appropriate device, prescriptive fitting, and device verification are key elements to ensure BCDs provide suitable audibility to both adult and child listeners. This course will provide participants with an overview of both surgical and non-surgical bone conduction devices including descriptions of direct drive systems (percutaneous, active, and passive transcutaneous) and skin drive, non-implantable devices. Pediatric candidacy considerations will be described, followed by an in-depth review of the fitting and verification process. Case examples will be used to illustrate the foundational concepts. Finally, participants will learn about the current challenges with this technology and future research directions.

Course Timeline

30 Days

Primary Audience

Audiology Professionals

Key Outcomes

Define percutaneous, transcutaneous, and associated terminology of bone conduction devices.
Describe the clinical methods used for pediatric BCD candidacy assessment, device selection, fitting, and verification.
Explain the rationale for using in situ assessment when fitting BCDs to children.
Describe three key factors to consider when fitting BCDs to children.

Course Outline

Overview of BCDs and Candidacy Considerations for Children
2h 1m
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[embed:36efd594-647a-47a1-9350-90a1e89aac01:35169a3c-ed33-42eb-9fd0-15ddb331cac0:title=Live%20Session%20Recording&duration=3720&itemdetails=]
Video(s)
59m
- Introduction and Learning Objectives | 5m
- Types of Bone Conduction Hearing Devices | 20m
- Overview of Pediatric Bone Conduction Consensus Document | 15m
- Candidacy Considerations for BCDs in Children | 15m
- Summary and Conclusion | 4m
Live Session Recording
1h 2m
Fitting and Verification of BCDs in Children
2h 1m
[embed:36efd594-647a-47a1-9350-90a1e89aac01:5efb2262-88b0-4ad4-b798-3bde8a0780a6:title=Video%28s%29&duration=3600&itemdetails=%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntroduction%20and%20Learning%20Objectives%20%7C%205m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EReview%20of%20Candidacy%20for%20BCDs%20in%20Children%20%7C%205m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EPrescriptive%20Targets%20for%20BCDs%20%7C%2010m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EGoals%20of%20Hearing%20Aid%20Verification%20%7C%2010m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVerification%20of%20Percutaneous%20BCDs%20%7C%2010m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EVerification%20of%20Transcutaneous%20BCDs%20%7C%2015m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESummary%20and%20Conclusion%20%7C%205m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E]

[embed:36efd594-647a-47a1-9350-90a1e89aac01:e1ce683b-0f12-47b9-aa76-57461dd8ff6a:title=Live%20Session%20Recording&duration=3660&itemdetails=]
Video(s)
1h
- Introduction and Learning Objectives | 5m
- Review of Candidacy for BCDs in Children | 5m
- Prescriptive Targets for BCDs | 10m
- Goals of Hearing Aid Verification | 10m
- Verification of Percutaneous BCDs | 10m
- Verification of Transcutaneous BCDs | 15m
- Summary and Conclusion | 5m
Live Session Recording
1h 1m
Pediatric Case Examples
2h 2m
[embed:36efd594-647a-47a1-9350-90a1e89aac01:c785296e-d585-48f6-95ce-9e24c98d4149:title=Video%28s%29&duration=3720&itemdetails=%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntroduction%20and%20Learning%20Objectives%20%7C%205m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThree%20Factors%20Guiding%20BCD%20Candidacy%20%7C%2020m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ECase%20Examples%20%7C%2032m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESummary%20and%20Conclusion%20%7C%205m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E]

[embed:36efd594-647a-47a1-9350-90a1e89aac01:cc22b49b-899b-4581-b8df-d79e8270b989:title=Live%20Session%20Recording&duration=3600&itemdetails=]
Video(s)
1h 2m
- Introduction and Learning Objectives | 5m
- Three Factors Guiding BCD Candidacy | 20m
- Case Examples | 32m
- Summary and Conclusion | 5m
Live Session Recording
1h
Challenging Cases and Future Directions
2h 6m
[embed:36efd594-647a-47a1-9350-90a1e89aac01:84d96b97-7dcc-4dca-91bc-91d6d0f74605:title=Video%28s%29&duration=3840&itemdetails=%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIntroduction%20and%20Learning%20Outcomes%20%7C%205m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ELimited%20Usable%20Hearing%20Unilaterally%20%28LUHU%29%20and%20Its%20Developmental%20Impact%20%7C%205m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ETechnology%20Considerations%20for%20Children%20with%20LUHU%20%7C%205m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ELUHU%20Case%20Example%20and%20Summary%20%7C%2014m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EClinical%20Challenges%20with%20Managing%20Unilateral%20Hearing%20Loss%20in%20Children%20%7C%2015m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EFuture%20Directions%20for%20BCDs%20in%20Children%20%7C%2015m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3ESummary%20and%20Conclusion%20%7C%205m%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E]

[embed:36efd594-647a-47a1-9350-90a1e89aac01:b34225f0-73e5-4992-bbfe-96f60468e36a:title=Live%20Session%20Recording&duration=3720&itemdetails=]
Video(s)
1h 4m
- Introduction and Learning Outcomes | 5m
- Limited Usable Hearing Unilaterally (LUHU) and Its Developmental Impact | 5m
- Technology Considerations for Children with LUHU | 5m
- LUHU Case Example and Summary | 14m
- Clinical Challenges with Managing Unilateral Hearing Loss in Children | 15m
- Future Directions for BCDs in Children | 15m
- Summary and Conclusion | 5m
Live Session Recording
1h 2m

Featuring

Christine Brown
M.Cl.Sc. Audiology, Reg. CASLPO, C-SAC
View Profile

Christine Brown has been a clinical audiologist with the Ontario provincial Infant Hearing Program for over 20 years. Her areas of interest focus on electrophysiological hearing assessment and bone conduction hearing aid fitting. She has recently joined Dr. Marlene Bagatto in her Pediatric Audiology Strategies and Systems Laboratory as a research assistant.

Financial Disclosures: Christine Brown receives compensation from Western University as Senior Audiologist of the Infant Hearing Program and Research Assistant in the Pediatric Audiology Strategies and Systems Lab. She has a services contract with the Ministry of Children, Community, and Social Services. She also receives compensation from Hearing First for teaching this course.

Non-financial Disclosures: Christine Brown serves on the Bone Conduction Advisory Group and Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Audiology (COPA) Working Group.
Marlene Bagatto
AuD, PhD
View Profile

Marlene Bagatto is an Assistant Professor in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders and the National Centre for Audiology at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. The research in her Pediatric Audiology Strategies and Systems Laboratory focusses on policy and practice integration for infant and child hearing. Dr. Bagatto is a consultant for early hearing detection and intervention (EHDI) programs in several Canadian provinces to develop and implement protocols for various components of infant hearing health care. Dr. Bagatto is Past President of the Canadian Academy of Audiology, former Chair of the Canadian Infant Hearing Task Force (2017-2023), and the 2023 recipient of the Marion Downs Award in Pediatric Audiology from the American Academy of Audiology.

Financial Disclosures: Dr. Bagatto receives compensation from Western University as an Assistant Professor. She also receives compensation from Hearing First for teaching this course.

Non-financial Disclosures: Dr. Bagatto serves on the Board of Directors for World Wide Hearing as well as Member of the Canadian Infant Hearing Task Force, Canadian Academy of Audiology & Speech-Language Audiology Canada.

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