Childrenwithunilateralhearingloss(UHL)areatanincreasedriskforarangeofdevelopmentaldifficulties and delays, but there is substantial variability in outcomes for individual children. The factors responsible for these individual differences remain unknown. As a result, there is no consensus regarding the audiologic management of pediatric UHL, which contributes to a costly, failure-based model of intervention for affected children. The goal of the proposed research is to determine the factors responsible for the difficulties many children with UHL experience in their everyday lives, thus informing clinical assessment and management of UHL.ThecentralhypothesisisthatreducedspatialhearingskillsinchildrenwithUHLareresponsibleforthe deficitsobservedinthispopulation.Thecentralhypothesiswillbeobjectivelytestedbypursuingthefollowing specific aims: (1) evaluate spatial release from masking (SRM) in children with mild to severe-profound sensorineuralUHLinacomplexspeechmasker,(2)assesslocalizationontheazimuthalplaneinchildrenwith UHL,and(3)determinetheassociationbetweenSRMandfunctionallisteningabilitiesforchildrenwithUHL. Thisresearchprojectincorporatespsychoacoustictechniquesandfunctionallisteningmeasurementsintothe assessmentofchildrenwithUHL.TheexpectedoutcomeofthisprojectisabetterunderstandingofhowUHL affects SRM and the contributions of interaural difference cues to sound source localization in children with UHL.Thisoutcomeisexpectedtohaveanimportantpositiveimpactonclinicalpracticebyprovidingobjective data to guide timely and appropriate audiologic management of children with UHL. The proposed research trainingprogramisdesignedtofosteracquisitionofthetechnicalskillsandbackgroundknowledgeinbinaural hearing, psychoacoustics, and speech perception that are necessary for an independent research career improvingoutcomesforchildrenwithhearingloss,particularlythosewithUHL.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed research will evaluate the effects of unilateral hearing loss on children?s ability to benefit from target-masker spatial separation for speech-on-speech recognition, as well as their ability to localize soundsourcesinspace.Theassociationbetweentheseabilitiesandfunctional,everydaylisteningskillswillbe evaluated. Results will have implications for the clinical assessment and treatment of pediatric unilateral hearingloss.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
Type
Postdoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F32)
Project #
1F32DC016188-01
Application #
9328714
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZDC1)
Program Officer
Rivera-Rentas, Alberto L
Project Start
2018-01-01
Project End
2020-12-31
Budget Start
2018-01-01
Budget End
2018-12-31
Support Year
1
Fiscal Year
2017
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Department
Other Health Professions
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
608195277
City
Chapel Hill
State
NC
Country
United States
Zip Code
27599