What Is Single-Sided Deafness (SSD) / Unilateral Hearing Loss?
A unilateral hearing loss is when there is hearing loss in only one ear. The other ear has normal hearing.
Unilateral hearing loss can be congenital (present at birth) or may develop later in life. The amount of hearing loss in the affected ear can be mild to profound hearing loss (also known as Single-Sided Deafness or SSD). Some people with unilateral hearing loss may be helped by a hearing aid. Other options are available for more severe unilateral hearing loss.
The following amplification options may be talked about with you. The options will depend on how much hearing loss your child has:
- Hearing Aids
- CROS (contralateral routing of signal) Hearing System: This system was created for patients with SSD. It works by sending sound from a device on the side with hearing loss to a device on the normal hearing ear.
- Bone Conduction Devices
- Hearing Assistance Technology (HAT) / FM System: This system sends the speaker’s voice from a microphone to a device the child wears on the ear. It is often used in the classroom. The system helps the child hear and understand speech. These systems can be used alone or with another hearing device.
- Cochlear Implants
If our team and your family decide that one of these options will help your child, we will help you through the evaluation and fitting process.
