The purpose of this study is to learn how well children understand speech in quiet and noisy rooms using new hearing technology that can help children with hearing loss understand speech more readily. The hearing aid research lab is recruiting children between the ages of 8 and 17 who have worn hearing instruments for at least six months.
During this study, children will receive a hearing screening, be fit with research hearing instruments, repeat sentences with background noise present, adjust hearing aid settings to understand speech well, compare different listening programs, and answer multiple questionnaires.
There are two required visits to the laboratory. Each visit lasts about two to two and one-half hours. The family will receive $30 for each lab visit, and the parent will receive a $50 gift card if the child wears the study hearing aids to a noisy restaurant during a one to two-week home trial.
If you are interested, please email Kjersten Branscome, AuD, at kjersten.branscome@vumc.org or call the lab at 615-936-5087. The principal investigator for this research study is Erin Picou, PhD, in the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. All testing will be completed in Medical Center East (1215 21st Ave. South).
