Can Mild Bilateral Sensorineural Hearing Loss Affect Developmental Abilities in Younger School-Age Children?

The research study was conducted for the purpose of examining
the influence of mild bilateral sensorineural hearing
loss (MBSNHL) on developmental abilities of younger
school-age children. The sample encompassed 144 children
with MBSNHL, aged 7.5–11 (M = 8.85). MBSNHL
(20–40 dB HL) was identified by pure tone audiometry.
The control group encompassed 160 children with normal
hearing. The Acadia test of developmental abilities was
used for assessment of developmental abilities. Although
statistically significant differences between participants
with MBSNHL and those with normal hearing were established
in the majority of estimated developmental abilities
domains, those differences do not indicate any significant
delay in development of assessed abilities, except in the
domain of auditory discrimination. The obtained results
call for a systematic approach to children with MBSNHL
in elementary schools.