# Measuring hearing in children with developmental differences

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO · 2021 · $152,312

## Abstract

Nearly 40% of children with hearing loss have a secondary disability, yet audiologists lack the appropriate
behavioral assessment procedures to measure hearing in children with diverse or complex developmental
profiles. The long-term goal of this line of research is to improve hearing health care for children with
developmental disabilities by transforming behavioral hearing testing methods. The overall objectives for this
application are to identify gaps in current clinical care and to isolate methodological and child factors that affect
behavioral data. Our central hypothesis is that the inability to obtain accurate and reliable behavioral thresholds
with current behavioral procedures reflects methodology limitations, not limitations of the child. The rationale for
this work is that by isolating factors that affect threshold we can develop rigorous methods that overcome the
limitations of current clinical practices; thereby, improving hearing health care for children with developmental
disabilities. The central hypothesis will be tested by pursuing two specific aims: (1)!identify gaps in the current
state of clinical assessment practices for children with developmental disabilities; and (2) identify factors that
influence behavioral threshold accuracy. Under the first aim, big data analytics with a publicly-available database
will be used to assess the current clinical situation. For the second aim, using a novel observer-based
psychoacoustics procedure, we will evaluate methodological and child factors that are expected to affect
behavioral data from 1.5- to 5-year-old children with different developmental status (Autism Spectrum Disorder,
Down syndrome, or typical development). The research proposed in this application is innovative, in the
applicant’s opinion, because it (1) harnesses the power of big data analytics to accelerate the pace of research
in pediatric audiology, and (2) it uses an observer-based procedure that overcomes the challenges associated
with collecting and interpreting data from children with developmental disabilities. The proposed work is
significant because it will provide strong scientific evidence for modifying current clinical procedures for children
with developmental disabilities and for developing much-needed methodology advancements essential to
eliminating existing hearing health care disparities.!

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10133044
- **Project number:** 5R21DC018656-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO
- **Principal Investigator:** Angela Yarnell Bonino
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $152,312
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-01 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10133044

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10133044, Measuring hearing in children with developmental differences (5R21DC018656-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10133044. Licensed CC0.

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