Bilateral and Binaural Hearing

Research Overview

The research group is examining the benefits of utilising bilateral hearing. Target populations include children/young adults with bilateral hearing loss using two cochlear implants or a hearing aid plus an implant, and children/young adults with unilateral hearing loss using a cochlear implant in combination with normal hearing in the other ear.

Additional work is focussed on the clinical management of children/young adults using cochlear implants, including implant candidacy, pre-operative prediction of benefit, and post-operative mapping and support.

The research team is skilled in a range of assessment procedures, including audiometric assessment, language assessments, spatial hearing tests, and objective evaluation of listening effort.

Collaborators

Clinical

  • Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital Cochlear Implant Clinic
  • Cochlear Limited

Funding

  • National Health and Medical Research Council
  • Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital
  • Deafness Foundation
  • Action on Hearing Loss
  • Collier Foundation
  • William Angliss Charitable Fund

Research Opportunities

This research project is available to PhD students to join as part of their thesis.
Please contact the Research Group Leader to discuss your options.

Research Publications

  • Galvin, K; Dowell, R; van Hoesel, R; Mok, M, Speech detection in noise for young bilaterally implanted children: Is there evidence of binaural benefit over the shadowed ear? Ear & Hear, in press.
  • Galvin, K; Mok, M, Everyday listening performance of children before and after receiving a second cochlear implant: Results using the parent version of the Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing Scale. Ear & Hear, 37 2016, 93-102.
  • Galvin, K; Sarant, J; Harris, D; Bennet, L; Mok, M; Canagasabey, M, Performance ratings for children using bilateral cochlear implants obtained with the Speech, Spatial, and Other Qualities of Hearing Scale for parents. Cochlear Imp Intl, 16 2015, S19-22.
  • Galvin, K, Achievement of early clinical milestones and long-term functional outcomes for children and young adults with bilateral cochlear implants. Cochlear Imp Intl, 16 2015, S16.
  • Galvin, K; Holland, J; Hughes, K, Longer term functional outcomes and everyday listening performance for young children through to young adults using bilateral implants. Ear & Hear, 35(2) 2014, 171-182.
  • Galvin, K; Noble, W, Adaptation of the Speech, Spatial and Qualities of Hearing Scale for use with children, parents, and teachers. Cochlear Imp Intl, 14(3) 2013, 135-141.
  • Hughes, K; Galvin, K, Measuring listening effort expended by adolescents and young adults with unilateral or bilateral cochlear implants or normal hearing. Cochlear Imp Intl, 14(3) 2013, 121-129.
  • Galvin, K; Hughes, K, Adapting to bilateral cochlear implants: early post-operative device use by children receiving sequential or simultaneous implants at or before 3.5 years. Cochlear Imp Intl, 13(2) 2012, 105-112.
  • Holland, J; Galvin, K; Briggs, R, Planned simultaneous bilateral cochlear implant operations: How often do children receive only one implant? Intl J Ped Otorhinolaryngol, 76(3) 2012, 396-399.
  • Galvin, K; Hughes, K; Holland, J; Mok, M, Performance of toddlers, children, and young adults using unilateral or bilateral cochlear implants on a left versus right loudspeaker identification task. Audiol & Neurotol Extra, 1, 2011 30-44.
  • Dowell, R; Galvin, K; Dettman, S; Leigh, J; Hughes, K; van Hoesel, R, Bilateral Cochlear Implants in Children. Seminars Hear, 32 (1) 2011, 53-72.
  • Galvin, K; Hughes, K; Mok, M, Can adolescents and young adults with prelingual hearing loss benefit from a second, sequential cochlear implant? Intl J Audiol 49 (5) 2010, 368-377.
  • Mok, M; Galvin, K; Dowell, R; McKay, C, Speech perception benefit for children with a cochlear implant and a hearing aid in opposite ears and children with bilateral cochlear implants. Audiol & Neurotol, 15 2010, 44-56.
  • Galvin, K; Leigh, J, Hughes, K, How we do it: Clinical management of the child receiving a second, bilateral cochlear implant. Cochlear Imp Intl 10 (2) 2009, 84-91.
  • Galvin, K; Mok, M; Dowell, R; Briggs, R, Speech detection and localization results and clinical outcomes for children receiving sequential bilateral cochlear implants before 4 years. Intl J Audiol, 47(10) 2008, 636 - 646.
  • Galvin, K; Mok, M; Dowell, R; Briggs, R, 12-month post-operative results for older children using sequential bilateral implants. Ear & Hear, 28(2) 2007, S19-S21.
  • Galvin, K; Mok, M; Dowell, R, Perceptual benefit and functional outcomes for children using sequential bilateral cochlear implants. Ear & Hear, 28 (4) 2007, 470-482.
  • Mok, M; Galvin, K; Dowell, R; McKay, C, Spatial unmasking and binaural advantage for speech detection in children with normal hearing, bimodal devices and bilateral cochlear implants. Audiol & Neurotol, 12 (5) 2007, 19-30.

Research Projects



Faculty Research Themes

Neuroscience

School Research Themes

Neuroscience & Mental Health, Practice and service improvement, Recovery and Rehabilitation Across the Lifespan, Immunology and Inflammation



Key Contact

For further information about this research, please contact Dr Karyn Galvin

Department / Centre

Audiology and Speech Pathology

Unit / Centre

Bilateral and Binaural Hearing

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