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.

Derivation and Initial Validation of the Utility Function for the Hearing Utility Measure (HUM).

Objective: The Hearing Utility Measure (HUM) is a replacement hearing attribute for the Health Utilities Index, Mark 3 (HUI-3) designed to improve the responsiveness of utility estimates to changes in hearing-related quality of life. The final development step is to derive the instrument's utility scoring function.

Methods: Residents of Ontario, Canada, aged ≥18 years participated in standard gamble and visual analogue scale exercises.

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.

Exposure to Spoken Communication During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Children With Cochlear Implants.

Importance: School closures and other COVID-19-related restrictions could decrease children's exposure to speech during important stages of development.

Objective: To assess whether significant decreases in exposure to spoken communication found during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic among children using cochlear implants are confirmed for a larger cohort of children and were sustained over the first years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This cohort study used datalogs collected from children with cochlear implants during clinical visits to a tertiary pediatric hospital in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, from January 1, 2018, to November 11, 2021.

Importance of early objective auditory testing in the presentation of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in children.

Background: Functional hearing loss can be due to an auditory manifestation of functional neurological disorder, previously known as conversion disorder.

Methods: This is a case series of 3 pediatric patients with a diagnosis of idiopathic SSNHL who ultimately were found to have functional neurological disorder.

Results: Average age was 12.

Effects of the BalanCI on Working Memory and Balance in Children and Young Adults With Cochleovestibular Dysfunction.

Objectives: This study aimed to: (1) determine the interaction between cognitive load and balance in children and young adults with bilateral cochleovestibular dysfunction who use bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) and (2) determine the effect of an auditory balance prosthesis (the BalanCI) on this interaction. Many (20 to 70%) children with sensorineural hearing loss experience some degree of vestibular loss, leading to poorer balance. Poor balance could have effects on cognitive resource allocation which might be alleviated by the BalanCI as it translates head-referenced cues into electrical pulses delivered through the CI.

Evaluating the use of a balance prosthesis during balance perturbations in children and young adults with cochleovestibular dysfunction.

Study objectives were to: (1) quantify stability in children and young adults using cochlear implants with concurrent cochleovestibular dysfunction (CI-V) during balance perturbations and (2) to assess effects of an auditory head-referencing device (BalanCI) on their stability. The BalanCI provides auditory feedback via cochlear implants to cue posture and potentially avoid falling in children with CI-V. It was hypothesized that children and young adults with CI-V respond with larger movements to floor perturbations than typically-developing peers (controls) and that BalanCI use decreases these movements.

Effects of Age at Implantation on Outcomes of Cochlear Implantation in Children with Short Durations of Single-Sided Deafness.

Objective: Children with single-sided deafness (SSD) show reduced language and academic development and report hearing challenges. We aim to improve outcomes in children with SSD by providing bilateral hearing through cochlear implantation of the deaf ear with minimal delay.

Study Design: Prospective cohort study of 57 children with SSD provided with cochlear implant (CI) between May 13, 2013, and June 25, 2021.

Improving the Hearing Status Discrimination of the Health Utilities Index, Mark 3: Design of the Hearing Status Classification System.

Objective: Redesign the health status classification system of the Health Utilities Index, Mark 3 (HUI-3) "hearing" attribute to improve its discrimination of hearing-impaired health states.

Study Design: Domain and item selection from a previously generated item set guided by a domain and item importance survey, structural independence, and cognitive interviews with patients.

Setting: Tertiary referral center.

Volumetric Analysis of Hearing-Related Structures of Brain in Children with GJB2-Related Congenital Deafness.

Background: Children with non-syndromic hereditary sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) provide an opportunity to explore the impact of hearing on brain development. Objective: This study investigates volumetric differences of key hearing-related structures in children with gap junction protein beta 2 GJB2-related SNHL compared to controls. Materials and methods: Ninety-four children with SNHL (n = 15) or normal hearing (n = 79) were studied using automated volumetric segmentation.

Response characteristics of vestibular evoked myogenic potentials recorded over splenius capitis in young adults and adolescents.

Background And Objectives: Examine vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) responses recorded from surface electrodes over Splenius Capitis (SPC) in a seated position.

Specific Aims: (1) validate response characteristics of VEMP recordings from surface electrodes over Sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and over SCP and (2) assess age effects on responses in adolescents and young adults.

Materials And Methods: Simultaneous surface VEMP was recorded bilaterally from electrodes placed over the dorsal neck musculature at a location known from previous work to record from SPC in 15 healthy participants during trials with head rotation toward and away from the stimulated ear.

Age-related changes to vestibular heave and pitch perception and associations with postural control.

Falls are a common cause of injury in older adults (OAs), and age-related declines across the sensory systems are associated with increased falls risk. The vestibular system is particularly important for maintaining balance and supporting safe mobility, and aging has been associated with declines in vestibular end-organ functioning. However, few studies have examined potential age-related differences in vestibular perceptual sensitivities or their association with postural stability.

Cortical imbalance following delayed restoration of bilateral hearing in deaf adolescents.

Unilateral auditory deprivation in early childhood can lead to cortical strengthening of inputs from the stimulated side, yet the impact of this on bilateral processing when inputs are later restored beyond an early sensitive period is unknown. To address this, we conducted a longitudinal study with 13 bilaterally profoundly deaf adolescents who received unilateral access to sound via a cochlear implant (CI) in their right ear in early childhood before receiving bilateral access to sound a decade later via a second CI in their left ear. Auditory-evoked cortical responses to unilateral and bilateral stimulation were measured repeatedly using electroencephalogram from 1 week to 14 months after activation of their second CI.

Hearing Instability in Children with Congenital Cytomegalovirus: Evidence and Neural Consequences.

Objective/hypothesis: Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a common sequela of congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV), potentially exacerbating neurocognitive delay. The objectives of this study were to assess: (1) age at which SNHL in children with cCMV; (2) stimulability of the auditory system in children with cCMV following cochlear implantation (CI); and (3) whether features of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) potentially are predictive of hearing outcomes.

Methods: In this retrospective study of a prospectively acquired cohort, 123 children with cCMV who were referred for hearing loss at a single tertiary referral hospital over 20 years were compared with an unmatched comparative group of 90 children with GJB2-related deafness.

Vestibular and Balance Impairment Is Common in Children With Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia.

Objective: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetic disorder that presents with a wide range of respiratory complaints. The most common otologic associated disorder is middle ear effusion. We ask if children with PCD suffer from vestibular impairment.

First Generation Osseointegrated Steady State Implant Benefits in Children With Hearing Loss.

Objective: To assess outcomes of a new Osseointegrated Steady State Implant (OSSI) for bone conduction in adolescents.

Method: In an initial trial, 14 adolescents (14.5 years of age, SD = 2.

The Importance of Access to Bilateral Hearing through Cochlear Implants in Children.

Children with hearing loss require early access to sound in both ears to support their development. In this article, we describe barriers to providing bilateral hearing and developmental consequences of delays during early sensitive periods. Barriers include late identification of hearing loss in one or both ears and delayed access to intervention with hearing devices such as cochlear implants.

Vestibular Evaluation and Management of Children with Sensorineural Hearing Loss.

Vestibular dysfunction is the most common comorbidity associated with childhood sensorineural hearing loss. Early identification of vestibular dysfunction enables early intervention to mitigate its impact of motor, behavioral, and neurocognitive deficits of developing children. Screening for vestibular impairment can be achieved in the busy clinical setting.

Functional Consequences of Poor Binaural Hearing in Development: Evidence From Children With Unilateral Hearing Loss and Children Receiving Bilateral Cochlear Implants.

Poor binaural hearing in children was hypothesized to contribute to related cognitive and academic deficits. Children with unilateral hearing have normal hearing in one ear but no access to binaural cues. Their cognitive and academic deficits could be unique from children receiving bilateral cochlear implants (CIs) at young ages who have poor access to spectral cues and impaired binaural sensitivity.

Vestibular Perceptual Thresholds in Older Adults With and Without Age-related Hearing Loss.

Objectives: Older adults with age-related hearing loss (ARHL) are at greater risk of falling and have greater mobility problems than older adults with normal hearing (NH). The underlying cause of these associations remains unclear. One possible reason is that age-related declines in the vestibular system could parallel those observed in the auditory system within the same individuals.

Hearing loss and intellectual outcome in children treated for embryonal brain tumors: Implications for young children treated with radiation sparing approaches.

Purpose: We investigate the impact of severe sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and for the first time evaluate the effect of unilateral versus bilateral SNHL on intellectual outcome in a cohort of children with embryonal brain tumors treated with and without radiation.

Methods: Data were from 94 childhood survivors of posterior fossa (PF) embryonal brain tumors who were treated with either: (1) chemotherapy alone (n = 16, 7.11 [3.