Idaho State University researchers seek children for hearing study

POCATELLO – Idaho State University researchers in Meridian and Pocatello are recruiting infants and children to participate in a study to develop new ways to assess middle-ear function in people of all ages.

Researchers are seeking participants from ages 6 months to 5 years and 10 to 15 years. Participants should be in good health without a history of middle-ear surgery or chronic middle-ear disease and will receive $10 cash.

Participation will require approximately an hour-long visit to hearing labs on the Meridian or Pocatello campus for a hearing evaluation. After-school appointments are available.

The study is funded by a three-year, $426,000 grant from the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, a division of the National Institutes of Health.

Researchers Chris Sanford, Gabriel Bargen and Jeff Brockett are exploring how age-related changes in the middle ear can influence middle-ear function. They note that some middle-ear disorders left untreated can lead to hearing loss.

For questions or to schedule an appointment, email isuaudlab@isu.edu or call 208-373-1722 in Meridian and 208-282-3072 in Pocatello.