The Complexities of Fatigue in Children with Hearing Loss

Fatigue is a common phenomenon in our society, and it can have a major impact on an individual's performance and wellbeing. Parents and teachers have long believed that children with hearing loss (CHL) are at increased risk for fatigue. One could easily speculate that toward the end of a school day, CHL may be “physically and mentally spent” as a result of focusing so intently on a teacher's speech, as well as conversations with other students. Moreover, the increased listening effort, stress, and subsequent fatigue experienced by CHL could jeopardize the ability to learn in a noisy classroom environment, thus increasing the risk for problems in school. Only recently, however, have we begun to see empirical studies supporting the notion that CHL experience more fatigue than children with normal hearing (CNH). This review was developed to enhance the awareness of fatigue among those audiologists interested in serving CHL. To this end, we have presented an overview on fatigue in CHL, including its importance, definitions, prevalence, consequences, and recent developments. The complexity and multifaceted nature of fatigue has been highlighted and the need for additional research on fatigue in CHL is emphasized.