Hearing attention and quality of listening in children with unilateral hearing loss with and without hearing aid

Objective. To analyse hearing attention and quality of listening in a cohort of children affected by moderate to severe unilateral hearing loss, comparing a group of hearing aid users to children with no hearing aid. Methods. Twenty-four children (12 hearing aid users, and 12 without hearing rehabilitation) underwent audiological evaluation with speech audiometry in quiet and noise, hearing attention tests, and the speech, spatial and quality of hearing questionnaire in the version for parents. Results. Concerning speech audiometry in noise, in the most difficult condition no one in the unaided group achieved a normal speech recognition threshold score (0% vs 11.6 +/- 2.7% in the aided group). The selective hearing attention and shifting tests showed fewer errors in the aided group vs. the non-aided group. The questionnaire showed a significant difference between the quality of listening perceived by the parents of the two groups. The mean total scores were 152.8 +/- 2.7 in the aided group and 116.1 +/- 2.6 in the non-aided group (p > 0.001). Conclusions. Children with unilateral hearing loss without hearing rehabilitation show a lower quality of hearing, especially with regards to divided auditory attention. Hearing rehabilitation should be proposed as soon as possible in children with moderate to severe unilateral hearing loss.