title: Outcomes of conventional amplification for pediatric unilateral hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although children with unilateral hearing loss (UHL) are at risk for educational difficulties and behavioral problems, the research on treatment outcomes is limited. Previous studies suggested that children with UHL would benefit from frequency-modulated assistive devices only. The objective of this study was to examine whether children with UHL would benefit from using a conventional hearing aid in the poorer-hearing ear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight children, 7 to 12 years of age, with mild to moderately severe UHL and their parents and teachers participated in this study. The participants were fitted with digital hearing aids by use of pediatric prescriptive targets. The primary outcome measures were speech perception tests in quiet and noise and subjective assessments from participants, parents, and teachers, administered before hearing aid fitting and after 3 months of hearing aid use.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The group average speech perception scores showed no significant aided benefit or detriment in any of the conditions tested. However, subjective assessments showed large significant aided benefits at home and school according to the children and their parents, and in quality of life as reported by the children with UHL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, the results suggest that a hearing aid trial should be considered for children with mild to moderately severe UHL, with individual monitoring for benefit.
authors.affiliation: Program of Audiology and Communication Sciences and the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Briggs
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Davidson
authors.forename: Judith E C
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lieu
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000534:rehabilitation; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D013067:Speech Perception; D013069:Speech Reception Threshold Test