Clinical Case · Clinician

Profound loss and limited hearing-aid benefit

Vignette

A 10-month-old has confirmed bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss on tone-burst ABR and ASSR. Well-fitted hearing aids have been worn consistently for three months with auditory rehabilitation, but aided detection and emerging listening behaviours remain very limited.

Audiogram

-10020406080100120500 Hz1k Hz2k Hz4k HzHearing level (dB HL)
O Right earX Left ear
Estimated thresholds by ear. O = right, X = left.

Test findings

Objective tests agree on profound bilateral SNHL. Aided thresholds and behavioural responses show insufficient benefit from amplification.

Diagnostic question

What is the appropriate next step?