Understanding Listening Challenges in Children Born Prematurely

Uncovering the Neural Mechanisms and Antecedent Factors of Listening Difficulty in Preterm Children

NIH-funded research Cincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr · NIH-11128656

This project helps us understand why some school-aged children who were born very early have trouble listening, aiming to improve their hearing and language.

Quick facts

Grant typeR21 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionCincinnati Childrens Hosp Med Ctr NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Cincinnati, United States)
Project IDNIH-11128656 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This project uses information from a group of over 300 children born very early, whose health data has been collected since birth. Researchers will look at factors from their time as newborns, like certain medications or brain scans, to see if they are linked to later listening difficulties or specific types of hearing loss. A smaller group of these children, aged 6-8 years, along with other children, will complete questionnaires and have their hearing and thinking skills checked. This helps us find early signs that might lead to listening problems, so doctors can better support these children from the start.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: This research focuses on school-age children, specifically those aged 6-8 years, who were born very prematurely and may experience listening difficulties.

Not a fit: Patients who were not born prematurely or who do not experience listening difficulties are not the primary focus of this specific research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to earlier identification and better care strategies for preterm children at risk for listening and language difficulties.

How similar studies have performed: This project builds on an existing cohort, leveraging prior data collection, but the specific hypothesis about extended high-frequency hearing loss and spatial/talker cue integration is a novel investigation.

Where this research is happening

Cincinnati, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.