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Children's combined electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS): A study of the benefits of bilateral vs. unilateral acoustic hearing

G Christopher Stecker

In adults, electric and acoustic stimulation (EAS) with intact hearing in the implanted ear improves speech comprehension, spatial hearing, and overall quality of life. However, there is a scarcity of research on the effects of EAS in children. The aims of this study was to evaluate the degree of EAS-related speech understanding benefit in children with retained acoustic hearing, as well as what role acoustic interaural time difference (ITD) sensitivity may have in that benefit. Six children with acoustic hearing loss and twenty children with normal hearing (NH) were chosen to take part in the study. An eight-loudspeaker array was used to test voice recognition, with speech coming from one loudspeaker at 0 degrees and restaurant noise coming from the other loudspeakers (45–315 degrees). The ITD thresholds for a 250-Hz stimulus presented acoustically via insert earphones were measured.