Binaural Cue Sensitivity in Children and Adults With Combined Electric and Acoustic Stimulation
There is a rapidly growing population of adult and pediatric cochlear implant (CI) recipients with acoustic hearing preservation in the implanted ear(s) allowing for combined Electric and binaural Acoustic Stimulation (EAS). Despite the rapid technological and surgical advancements that have led to this increased prevalence, there is limited research on EAS outcomes-particularly for pediatric EAS listeners-including the expected trajectory of benefit following EAS fitting and underlying mechanisms driving benefit in EAS users of all ages. Thus, the purpose of this project is to provide a comprehensive description of behavioral and electrophysiologic measures of binaural hearing in adults and children both with normal hearing and EAS users.
• Pediatric EAS: aged 5-17; Adult EAS: aged 18+ years
• At least one CI and bilateral mild to profound sensorineural hearing loss with unaided audiometric thresholds ≤ 80 dB HL at 125 and 250 Hz, in both ears.
‣ Willingness to use EAS technology in the implanted ear(s) to be verified via data logging
⁃ Nonverbal cognitive abilities within the typical range
⁃ No co-morbid diagnoses such as autism, auditory neuropathy, neurological disorder, or general cognitive impairment
⁃ Use of spoken English as main mode of communication
• For children and adults with normal hearing, they will demonstrate audiometric thresholds 20 dB HL or better from 250-8000 Hz