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Objectives: This study tested the hypothesis that undetected peripheral hearing impairment occurs in children with idiopathic listening difficulties (LiD), as reported by caregivers using the Evaluation of Children's Listening and Processing Skills (ECLiPS) validated questionnaire, compared to children with typically developed (TD) listening abilities.Design: Children with LiD aged 6-14 y.o. (n = 60, mean age = 9.9 yr.) were recruited from audiology clinical records and from IRB-approved advertisements at hospital locations and in the local and regional area. Both groups completed standard and extended high frequency pure tone audiometry, wideband absorbance tympanometry and middle ear muscle reflexes, distortion product and chirp transient evoked otoacoustic emissions. Univariate and multivariate mixed models and multiple regression analysis were used to examine group differences and continuous performance, as well as the influence of demographic factors and pressure equalization (PE) tube history.Results: There were no significant group differences between the LiD and TD groups for any of the auditory measures tested. However, analyses across all children showed that extended high frequency hearing thresholds, wideband tympanometry, contralateral middle ear muscle reflexes, distortion product and transient evoked otoacoustic emissions were related to a history of PE tube surgery. The physiologic measures were also associated with extended high frequency hearing loss, secondary to PE tube history. Conclusions:Overall, the results of this study in a sample of children with validated LiD compared to a TD group matched for age and sex showed no significant differences in peripheral function using highly sensitive auditory measures. Histories of PE tube surgery were 4 73 significantly related to EHF hearing and to a range of physiologic measures in the combined 74 sample.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to better understand the prevalence of ototoxicity-related hearing loss and its functional impact on communication in a pediatric and young adult cohort with cystic fibrosis (CF) and individuals without CF (controls). Method We did an observational, cross-sectional investigation of hearing function in children, teens, and young adults with CF ( n = 57, M = 15.0 years) who received intravenous aminoglycoside antibiotics and age- and gender-matched controls ( n = 61, M = 14.6 years). Participants completed standard and extended high-frequency audiometry, middle ear measures, speech perception tests, and a hearing and balance questionnaire. Results Individuals with CF were 3–4 times more likely to report issues with hearing, balance, and tinnitus and performed significantly poorer on speech perception tasks compared to controls. A higher prevalence of hearing loss was observed in individuals with CF (57%) compared to controls (37%). CF and control groups had similar proportions of slight and mild hearing losses; however, individuals with CF were 7.6 times more likely to have moderate and greater degrees of hearing loss. Older participants displayed higher average extended high-frequency thresholds, with no effect of age on average standard frequency thresholds. Although middle ear dysfunction has not previously been reported to be more prevalent in CF, this study showed that 16% had conductive or mixed hearing loss and higher rates of previous otitis media and pressure equalization tube surgeries compared to controls. Conclusions Individuals with CF have a higher prevalence of conductive, mixed, and sensorineural hearing loss; poorer speech-in-noise performance; and higher rates of multiple symptoms associated with otologic disorders (tinnitus, hearing difficulty, dizziness, imbalance, and otitis media) compared to controls. Accordingly, children with CF should be asked about these symptoms and receive baseline hearing assessment(s) prior to treatment with potentially ototoxic medications and at regular intervals thereafter in order to provide otologic and audiologic treatment for hearing- and ear-related problems to improve communication functioning.

Results support the theory that the variability in temporal acuity in CI users contributes to the variability in speech performance. Results also indicate that it is reasonable to use the clinically available RGDT to identify CI users with temporal processing impairments for further appropriate rehabilitation.