A diagnosis of mild or unilateral deafness in a child comes with unique challenges and uncertainties. Join researchers and paediatric audiologists Hannah Cooper and Amanda Hall as they talk to parents about their children and their experiences of mild or unilateral deafness, and young people and adults who have grown up with mild or unilateral deafness. If you want to find out more about mild or unilateral deafness in children, this series is for you.

Little ears, big challenges: navigating mild and unilateral deafness in children

In this first episode of Little ears, big challenges: navigating mild and unilateral deafness in children, we introduce you to the voices of parents, young people and adults who feature in our series. We’ll meet parents who open up about what mild or unilateral deafness means for their children and the impact it has on their day to day lives. You’ll also hear how parents approach explaining mild or unilateral deafness to friends and family. Listen in as we begin the series.

Transcript link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ear/episode-1-what-does-mildunilateral-deafness-mean

Date of episode recording: 2024-12-02T00:00:00Z
Duration: 31:53
Language of episode: English
Presenter:Hannah Cooper; Amanda Hall
Guests: Abby; Clodagh; Kim; Joe; Louise; Waqas; Sophie; Mia; Rachel; Jonathan
Producer: Hannah Cooper

Episode 1 - What does mild/unilateral deafness mean?

In the second episode of Little ears, big challenges: navigating mild and unilateral deafness in children, we talk to parents about their decision making processes around technologies and other management options for their children, and whether they chose to wait and see or maximise hearing. There isn't clear evidence about what works for mild and unilateral deafness, so this can make decisions difficult. They also tell us about whether they challenged the professionals looking after their child, or sought a second opinion, and about any technology their child uses. Listen in as we continue the conversation.

Transcription link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ear/episode-2-wait-and-see-or-maximise-hearing

Episode 2 – Wait and see or maximise hearing

In episode 3 of Little ears, big challenges: navigating mild and unilateral deafness in children, we ask the parents to tell us about their experiences of how they prioritise their child and family's needs, and they also discuss various avenues they explored to help with their child's hearing and communication. Listen in as our conversations continue.

Transcript link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ear/episode-3-prioritising-your-child-individual

Episode 3 – Prioritising your child as an individual

In episode 4 of Little ears, big challenges: navigating mild and unilateral deafness in children, we start by talking to some of the parents about how the decisions they made when their child was first diagnosed with mild or unilateral deafness have evolved or changed over time, perhaps due to a change in circumstances or a change in hearing. Then all the parents give their advice to other parents who have perhaps just found out that their child has mild or unilateral deafness. Listen for valuable insights from our parent contributors. 

Transcript link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ear/episode-4-decisions-evolve-over-time

Episode 4 – Decisions evolve over time

In the final episode of Little ears, big challenges: navigating mild and unilateral deafness in children, we're talking about what the future holds with young people and adults who all have experience of having mild or unilateral deafness. They tell us about their how they navigate the world, what technology they use, and their advice to parents who may have recently found out that their child has mild or unilateral deafness. Listen for positive insights about the future.

Transcript link: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ear/episode-5-positive-about-future

Episode 5 – Positive about the future

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