According to a new report surgically implanted hearing aids, anchored to the skull bone, noticeably improves hearing among children with deafness in one ear.

The report further says that the single-sided deafness affects between 0.1 percent and 3 percent children.

Often attributed to the children's inability to perform well in noisy conditions, the condition is often associated with poor performance in school, learning difficulties and behavioral problems.

Traditional, external hearing aids may improve comprehension and performance, but compliance is typically low, especially outside the classroom.

The study authors write," Thus, treatment options for profound unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (single ear deafness) in children are limited, thereby creating a source of frustration and a need for alternative treatments."

Lisa Christensen of Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, and colleagues write," In an effort to provide a durable treatment option, the bone-anchored hearing aid has been explored for use

in children with single-sided deafness."

Hearing tests were conducted and each patient and a parent or guardian were asked to complete a questionnaire about listening difficulties before and after the fitting.

Scores on both hearing tests and questionnaires improved significantly following surgery. Both children and teens demonstrated improvements in hearing.

An Arkansas Children's Hospital release said that the complication rate was 17 percent, with complications being more common in teenagers and including skin reactions and lost fixtures and

these findings were helpful in counseling children five years and older and their families regarding treatment options for single-sided deafness.

February issue of Archives of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery published these findings. (With Input from Agencies)