Prosthetic fitting does not consist of a simple correspondence between the characteristics of the hearing-aid and the result of the tone audiometry test, but involves taking into account the patient’s personality and personal capacities.  It is not only the hearing impairment that must be considered, but also the various other types of perception damage stemming from the hearing impairment.

Fitting requires a rigorous procedure in which these diverse aspects must be taken into consideration and it is only through specific investigations that it will be possible to evaluate and compare the prosthetic efficacy of different types of hearing-aids.

The hearing-aid audiologist is professionally trained in the skills necessary for accomplishing this task, as well as for applying a strict protocol providing for continuous assessment of results.

For children, further to the preceding protocol, the approach must include care of the hearing-impaired child by a specialised pluri-disciplinary team as specified in the BIAP Recommendation 14/1 « Audio-phonology structures », as part of a fitting-procedure harmonisation.

It is desirable for the fitting report to be communicated to the various persons in charge of the hearing-impaired patient.
 

(X)  this Recommendation is the result of a pluri-disciplinary consultation carried out within the BIAP (Bureau International d’Audiophonologie) (International Bureau for Audio-phonology).
 

Adopted at first reading.  Cascais (Portugal) 05.05.1997
Ratification at Aschau (Germany) 04.05.1998