Speech-in-Noise and Quality-of-Life Measures in School-Aged Children With Normal Hearing and With Unilateral Hearing Loss.

The study did not test an intervention or follow children over time, so it cannot show that unilateral hearing loss caused every outcome or that any treatment improved performance. Only eight children used personal hearing devices, and the study did not compare the same children aided and unaided, so it cannot determine whether hearing aids, CROS systems, or other devices helped. Classroom remote microphone technology was used by half of the children with unilateral hearing loss, but the paper did not test its effect on the speech or quality-of-life outcomes. Quality-of-life analysis excluded some six-year-olds because their responses were judged unreliable, leaving 32 unaided children with unilateral hearing loss and 32 normal-hearing children. Testing was done in quiet sound booths with minimal reverberation and without lipreading or head movement, so it may not fully represent classrooms or other real environments. The speech materials were one adult male target with either noise or two child talkers, so results may not apply to all classroom talkers, maskers, or listening demands. Aided children were fitted late on average, so the study cannot say whether earlier fitting would have changed performance.

The authors declared no conflict of interest. Publication types indicate NIH extramural and non-U.S. government support.

Do not conclude that traditional hearing aids or CROS systems improve speech-in-noise performance in children with unilateral hearing loss. Only eight children used devices, the study did not compare the same children aided and unaided, and the authors say these data are not sufficient to judge device efficacy.