A child who is hard of hearing speaking the same passage at 3 and 7 years of age. Notice how much clearer her speech becomes due to consistent use of hearing aids.

More about the Outcomes of Children with Hearing Loss study

The OCHL study was funded in 2008 by the NIH-NIDCD. The principal investigators, Mary Pat Moeller, PhD, and J. Bruce Tomblin, PhD, recruited a multi-disciplinary team of professionals from the University of Iowa, Boys Town National Research Hospital, and the University of North Carolina in the fields of audiology, speech-language, psychology, linguistics, and biostatistics to help support the project. The OCHL study focused on examining the impact of newborn hearing screening, early intervention, and advances in hearing technology on a wide range of developmental outcomes for children who are hard of hearing. This work has been a huge success, thanks to all involved, and our published findings will continue to be posted on the Publications page.

OCHL Study Assessments

Age-appropriate test batteries were developed for each age range from 6 months to 9 years. Domains of measures included:

  • Speech and language skills, including articulation, expressive and receptive language, narrative development, and theory of mind (social cognition).
  • Hearing, including an audiogram, speech perception, and hearing aid verification.
  • Academics, including pre-literacy and literacy skills, math, and nonverbal and verbal ability.
  • Psychosocial, including parental questionnaires of child behavior and temperament.