Toward the Future of Early Intervention for Adult Hearing Loss

摘要

This issue of Seminars in Hearing has focused on the early intervention of adult sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Contributions to this monograph have taken a contemporary issues approach to the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mild SNHL. This article looks toward the future and discusses clinical and research implications for the early intervention of adult SNHL. This issue of Seminars in Hearing has focused on the early intervention of adult sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Although a quick glance at the title may cause some to think that the issue is about children with hearing loss, it is important that intervention of adult SNHL is initiated as early as possible if individuals are to avoid negative health-related quality of life (HRQpL) issues that may occur if this condition goes untreated. Audiologists may differ in their opinions as to whether patients with slight to mild SNHL (MSNHL) are even candidates for amplification, but perhaps, even more controversial is whether persons with hidden hearing loss (HHL) and/or cochlear synaptopathy (CS) could benefit from amplification.