Although children with mild-severe hearing loss compose the majority of children with hearing loss, most research has focused primarily on children with severe-profound hearing losses.  There is a critical need to examine the outcomes of a new generation of early-identified children with access to current amplification systems. The Outcomes of Children with Hearing Loss (OCHL) study was a longitudinal study conducted by investigators representing three primary sites. This talk will describe predictor variables and longitudinal outcomes in a sample of children who are hard of hearing, including children with mild bilateral hearing loss and children with auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder. The results have important implications for determining risk and protective factors for children with mild-to-moderately severe hearing loss.

1. Describe the purpose, study design, and demographics of the OCHL sample
2. Describe the cumulative auditory-linguistic experience hypothesis and how it relates to outcomes of children who are hard of hearing
3.  Identify audiological and communication outcomes of children who are hard of hearing