Impact of Children's Auditory Technology
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Impact of Children’s Auditory Technology (iCAT): Audiological, Educational, and Quality of Life Outcomes of Omnidirectional and Adaptive/Directive Hearing Aids and Assistive Listening Devices in 6-to-11 Year Old Children with Mild-to-Moderate Hearing Loss
IRAS ID
360926
Contact name
Hannah J Stewart
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Lancaster University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 10 months, 30 days
Research summary
Approximately 34 million children worldwide experience disabling hearing loss (WHO, 2025). These children often experience delayed speech and language development. Although many of these children attend mainstream schools in the UK, only 34% achieve two A-levels (or the equivalent), compared to 55% of their hearing peers (NDCS, 2021). Mild-to-moderate hearing loss (MMHL) is the most common hearing impairment in children. However, despite the effect of their hearing impairment on development, it is the least understood form of hearing loss in children. There is an urgent need for research on this understudied group to meet the goal set by the National Deaf Children's Society (the UK's biggest children's hearing charity and a project partner) of making sure that "by 2030, no deaf child will be left behind" (NDCS, 2023).
Children with MMHL are prescribed AT to assist them. Hearing aids are more advanced and accessible than ever and ALDs - where a talker's speech is streamed directly to the hearing aid to reduce the effects of a noisy background - are now common in classrooms. However, AT is designed based on how adults communicate: adults generally look at the person they are talking with and ask for information to be repeated when they do not hear clearly. On the other hand, children with normal hearing do not look. It is unknown if children with MMHL look at the talker while they listen. This has an impact on the effectiveness of the AT algorithms.
In this clinical trial, we aim to investigate a variety of approved ATs used in the UK through both the NHS and the Department of Education. These are Oticon Play PX hearing aids with either omnidirectional or adaptive hearing aid algorithms, and Oticon EduMic ALDs.
REC name
East of England - Essex Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/EE/0259
Date of REC Opinion
19 Dec 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion