Use of Amplification in Children With Unilateral Hearing Loss

Unilateral hearing loss (UHL) in children has been demonstrated to have a negative impact on quality of life, school performance and behavior. Despite this knowledge, it remains unclear how to best manage this common problem. There has been much debate regarding this issue with many programs recommending preferential seating in the classroom and use of a frequency-modulated (FM) system to amplify the teacher's voice in the classroom (conventional measures), and others recommending these accommodations in addition to use of a hearing aid for amplification (amplification). There is very limited research to support or refute the efficacy of a hearing aid in improving measurable academic, behavioral, or quality-of-life (QOL) outcomes in children with UHL. We propose a study evaluating the impact of hearing aid use in school-aged children (ages 6-12 years) with mild to moderately severe UHL. In this study, subjects will be randomized to receive either conventional measures or conventional measures plus amplification. After a three month period, the groups will be reversed, with each subject serving as their own control. Outcome measurements will include patient reported disease-specific QOL reported by patients, parents, and teachers using validated survey instruments at regular intervals throughout the study period.