Understanding how background noise affects speech recognition in children with and without hearing aids
Official title: Real-time lexical access and semantic activation during masked speech recognition in children with normal hearing and children with hearing aids
Funded at The House Institute Foundation · NIH-11111041 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study looks at how background noise affects kids' ability to understand speech, especially for those with normal hearing and those who use hearing aids, using eye-tracking technology to see how well they can follow spoken words in noisy situations.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | The House Institute Foundation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 1, 2025 |
| Project end | April 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $151,045 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DC022555-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11111041 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research include children aged 7 to 17 years, both with normal hearing and those who use hearing aids.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are younger than 7 years or older than 17 years may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how background noise impacts children's ability to recognize speech in real-time, particularly focusing on those with normal hearing and those using hearing aids. By employing eye-tracking technology, the study aims to measure how effectively children can access and understand spoken words when faced with different types of background noise. The goal is to identify the specific challenges that children encounter in noisy environments, which can hinder their listening comprehension and overall communication skills.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to improved strategies and tools for enhancing speech recognition in children, particularly those with hearing aids, in noisy environments.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown that understanding the effects of background noise on speech recognition can lead to significant advancements in auditory processing interventions, making this study a continuation of established work in the field.
Where this research is happening
-
The House Institute Foundation
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Klein, Kelsey Elizabeth — The House Institute Foundation
- Study coordinator: Klein, Kelsey Elizabeth
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.