The Ingestion Question: Public Knowledge of Safe Food Introduction in Children.

Objectives: National guidelines advise delaying initiation of solid foods until after 4-6 months of age and avoiding "high-risk" foods under the age of 4 years. However, foreign body aspiration of food remains a common preventable pediatric emergency. Our primary aim was to investigate public knowledge regarding the safe age of introduction of different foods to children and determine if demographic factors affect this knowledge.

Feasibility and Outcomes of an Active Osseointegrated Bone Conduction Implant in Children as Young as 5 Years of Age.

Introduction: This study reviews the feasibility of implanting active osseointegrated bone conduction devices in young children, below the prior age for FDA indication (<12 years), which has recently been reduced to 5 years. Outcomes included differences in adverse event rates and operative time between two groups (<12 and 12 years or older).

Materials And Methods: This study is a retrospective review of children receiving active osseointegrated bone conduction devices at a tertiary referral center academic hospital.

Binaural responses to a speech syllable are altered in children with hearing loss: Evidence from the frequency-following response.

Background & Rationale: In prior work using non-speech stimuli, children with hearing loss show impaired perception of binaural cues and no significant change in cortical responses to bilateral versus unilateral stimulation. Aims of the present study were to: 1) identify bilateral responses to envelope and spectral components of a speech syllable using the frequency-following response (FFR), 2) determine if abnormalities in the bilateral FFR occur in children with hearing loss, and 3) assess functional consequences of abnormal bilateral FFR responses on perception of binaural timing cues.

Methods: A single-syllable speech stimulus (/dα/) was presented to each ear individually and bilaterally.

Safety and Early Outcomes of Cochlear Implantation of Nucleus Devices in Infants: A Multi-Centre Study.

This multi-center study examined the safety and effectiveness of cochlear implantation of children between 9 and 11 months of age. The intended impact was to support practice regarding candidacy assessment and prognostic counseling of pediatric cochlear implant candidates. Data in the clinical chart of children implanted at 9-11 months of age with Cochlear Ltd devices at five cochlear implant centers in the United States and Canada were included in analyses.

Variants in Genes Associated with Hearing Loss in Children: Prevalence in a Large Canadian Cohort.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of genetic variants associated with hearing loss in a large cohort of children in Canada using high throughput next generation sequencing (NGS).

Methods: A total of 485 children with hearing loss underwent NGS testing with an 80 gene panel of syndromic and non-syndromic variants known to be associated with hearing loss. Genetic variants were classified as pathogenic, likely pathogenic, likely benign, benign, or variants of uncertain significance (VUS), according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines.