Dr Pia Watkins1,2, Ms Katie Neal1,2, Ms Tess Ansell1, Ms Joanna McAdam1
1The Shepherd Centre, Sydney, Australia, 2Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
Purpose:
This study explores the current landscape of research in unilateral hearing loss referenced to clinical outcomes and practice for children attending early educational services.
Scope:
A retrospective file review, of all demographic, audiological, language, cognitive and clinical records of children with unilateral hearing loss (n=>200) attending a transdisciplinary early intervention service.
Issue:
Newborn Hearing Screening has led to a substantial increase in families diagnosed with unilateral hearing loss (UHL) seeking support and intervention. However, for a significant number of children current standardized assessments of listening, language and communication function do not appear sensitive to the difficulties they or their educators and caregivers report in communication and social development. The poor sensitivity of current measures presents challenges for professionals in articulating these difficulties in a manner reflecting experience. It also limits the capacity to demonstrate the benefits of early intervention and or device fitting in this population. Consequently, unlike children with bilateral hearing loss intervention pathways and access to educational support remains complex.
Conclusion:
The variation of core and receptive language outcomes and social cognitive development show similarities with children with bilateral hearing loss. Expressive language subtest scores showed sensitivity to hearing loss and type/duration of device.
Despite early diagnosis, navigation of intervention and support pathways for unilateral hearing loss remains complex. Adaptions to clinical measurement and intervention are needed to provided targeted support. Findings from this review have provided an opportunity to expand our knowledge relative to impacts and device intervention curriculums that address the varied deficits children with unilateral hearing loss experience in functional communication.
Biography:
Dr Pia Watkins is Senior Audiologist, Research, Learning and Development at The Shepherd Centre. Pia has a background in research. She has worked as part of the transdisciplinary team at The Shepherd Centre and The First Sounds Cochlear Implant program for over 5 years, providing support and guidance to children and adolescents with hearing loss, along with their families.