Research - Hearing

Hearing impairment is one of the most common disabilities worldwide. Despite major advances such as the cochlear implant, the average hearing-impaired school leaver still has a reading age of just 8 - 9 years, and many intelligent 7 - 8 year old hearing-impaired children have language skills equivalent to that of hearing three year olds. Yet we have little understanding of why children with apparently identical deafness do well or do badly; of the prevalence and impact of milder hearing losses; or of what it is like to be a deaf child or adolescent in today's world. And, though it is feasible and acceptable, only 30% of Victorian newborns are routinely screened to detect hearing loss as early as possible.

Title	Year	Description
Children with Hearing Impairment in Victoria Outcomes Study (CHIVOS)	1999-2002 2005-2006	CHIVOS is a longitudinal, population-based study of 88 Victorian children with mild-profound congenital hearing loss and without intellectual disability to assess the burden of hearing loss and to determine whether advances in care improves outcomes.
Hearing in Schools Study (HISS)	2002-2005	HISS studied the prevalence, impact and genetics of slight and mild hearing loss in primary school children.
The Victorian Infant Hearing Screening Program (VIHSP)	1992-Ongoing	A state-wide Victorian screening program for newborns to identify any hearing impairment.
VicNIC Hearing Screening Program	2002-2005	VicNIC screened the hearing of all babies admitted to Victoria’s four neonatal intensive care units and to their special care nurseries for more than 24 hours.
Statewide Comparison of Outcomes (SCOUT)	2008-2011	SCOUT will be the first project in the world to find out how effective newborn hearing programs are for all children. SCOUT will study children born in VIC and NSW with bilateral hearing loss as they turn 5 years old. SCOUT will find out the benefits and costs of screening all babies, compared to screening only the high risk babies.

Last Updated 15-Aug-2008. Authorised by: Frank Oberklaid. Enquiries: Penny Miller.