Audiology Research Lab

Advancing our understanding of pediatric unilateral hearing loss.

There are approximately 3 million children in the U.S. with unilateral hearing loss. Although it is now more widely understood that children with unilateral hearing loss are at risk for challenges, many appear to adjust well without intervention. The range of options for audiological intervention for children with severe-to-profound hearing loss in only one ear (i.e., single-sided deafness) has increased markedly in recent years, from no intervention beyond classroom accommodations all the way to cochlear implant surgery. In the absence of clear data, current practice is based largely on the philosophy and convention at different institutions around the country. The long-term goal of the work in our lab is to build evidence-based clinical guidelines for the management of children with unilateral hearing loss so that intervention decisions can be driven by empirical data, rather than where the children live and seek care. We believe to achieve this goal, a focused and phased program of research is required, one that considers the whole child, not just their hearing levels.