Impact of the presence of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) on outcomes of children at three years of age

Objective: To determine the influence of the presence of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) on speech, language, and psycho-social development of children at three years of age. Design: A population-based, longitudinal study was performed on outcomes of children with hearing impairment (LOCHI) in Australia. The demographic characteristics of the children were described, and their developmental outcomes were evaluated at three years of age. Performance of children with ANSD was compared with that of children without ANSD in the LOCHI study. Study sample: There were 47 children with ANSD in the study sample. Results: Sixty-four percent of children with ANSD have hearing sensitivity loss ranging from mild to severe degree, and the remaining have profound hearing loss. At three years, 27 children used hearing aids, 19 used cochlear implants, and one child did not use any hearing device. Thirty percent of children have disabilities in addition to hearing loss. On average, there were no significant differences in performance level between children with and without ANSD. Also, the variability of scores was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: There was no significant difference in performance levels or variability between children with and without ANSD, both for children who use hearing aids, and children who use cochlear implants.